The Cost of Power
by DraconisMuse
Summary: After coming in contact with a mysterious stone, Po and Tigress must search for answers to save their friends...and to save Po. (Po/Tigress)
1. Interrupted Plans

Disclaimer: For the record, I definitely don't own Kung Fu Panda. I'm just playing around with the characters a little.

A/N: I wrote this (and many other) KFP fics/oneshots several months ago. This particular story is a little over six months old. I really hadn't planned on posting any of them, but with the third movie coming out soon I figured that if I was ever going to post them I should do it now. The story is complete, so I'll try to update quickly. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Po's arms and legs felt like heavy boulders as he trudged out of the training hall. _'Shifu really pushed us today_ ,' he thought to himself as he tried to lift one foot and then the other. At least it was a shorter session than most, which meant he could find a nice comfortable spot to pass out in.

As he descended the steps he smiled lightly upon seeing the white billowy clouds overhead. It really was a beautiful day. When his eyes traveled back downwards he spotted the gate that Viper, Crane, Mantis, and Monkey were making their way towards. As the door was opened he briefly caught sight of the world outside the training hall and palace.

It suddenly reminded him of his dad. His dad who, now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen in a few days. Shifu had kept them too busy with training to leave him any real time to visit the village. And knowing Shifu, tomorrow would be just as busy, leaving him little time to visit his dad tomorrow either.

He stopped in the middle of the courtyard just as Tigress finally stepped out of the training hall behind him. "I think I'll go down and see my dad," he said, knowing she'd hear him. Shifu, though he was still in the training hall, probably even heard him too.

"Meditation at the usual time?" the tiger asked as she walked past him.

Po grinned as he started following after her. "Oh yeah! I'll be there."

They had fallen into a habit of meditating together on days when training ended early enough to give them the chance. It had been an accident the first time when he had, literally, stumbled upon her meditating at the Peach Tree and she had invited him to join her. After that they somehow wound up meeting again without meaning to and at some point it simply became a part of their routine. Sometimes they would meditate at the Peach Tree, sometimes in the courtyard of the training hall, and occasionally she would drag him up to the roof of the palace.

Whenever the chance arose he would grab it, even if it meant climbing up onto the roof. It meant he could have one-on-one time with Tigress who was, without a doubt, the most totally awesome person he had ever met. Even if Tigress wasn't in a talkative mood, which admittedly was most of the time, Po enjoyed just being around her. He found it easier to talk to her about personal things than he did most of the others. There was just something calming and comforting about being around her. But he supposed that was just part of her being his best friend. They were bound to be comfortable around one another by this point.

Once Tigress reached the gate she stopped briefly and looked back at him, gracing him with one of her subtle smiles that, at least to him, made her whole face light up and her eyes glow brighter than the stars themselves. She then inclined her head in acknowledgement of his answer before stepping through the gate without another world.

Not a single word, not even a Kung Fu move, and she _still_ managed to be totally awesome. He wasn't sure how she did it.

With another grin and a slightly more energetic bounce in his step Po passed through the gate as well and made his way to the Thousand Steps. He was so caught up in thoughts of what his dad was cooking and where he and Tigress would meditate later, that he barely noticed when he made it half-way down the steps.

It wasn't until a green blur slithered past him down the steps that he was snapped out of his thoughts. He stopped abruptly and stared after the person who he quickly realized was Viper as she moved swiftly down the steps. Before he could question it an orange and white blur shot past him and his eyes widened as he watched Tigress leap from step to step. "Huh?" he uttered as he watched them go.

Mantis suddenly jumped onto his shoulder briefly, but then kept going as well. Monkey followed, going so fast and so close to him, that he was nearly caught off balance. "Guys?" The next thing he knew a pair of talons grabbed his shoulders and lifted him up.

"Bandits, Po," Crane explained as he flew them both down the steps. "Just outside of the village."

Crane suddenly dropped him and, while they hadn't been flying that far off the ground, Po lost his footing just enough to tumble and bounce down the rest of the remaining steps. He jumped to his feet just before reaching the bottom though and was glad to see he was caught up with the others. He started running after them with a determined smile spreading over his face.

"Woo! Yeah!" he exclaimed, his earlier exhaustion forgotten. "Let's do this!"

* * *

It hadn't taken long for them to find the bandits. And it took even less time for the fight to begin. Unlike some bandits they'd found since Po had become Dragon Warrior, these guys were _not_ backing down. They were pretty tough too. Fortunately there were only a dozen or so of them, though most of them were wolves.

Po smiled excitedly as he punched a wolf in the face and watched him stumble backwards from the blow. At the same time Tigress leapt onto his back and then quickly pushed off as she launched herself towards an owl that was being a nuisance to Crane.

He looked around to find another opponent, but it seemed what was left of the bandits were being dealt with by the others. He turned around in a circle, looking for anywhere he could help, but then felt something hit him in the back of the head. It hadn't been hard, but he spun back around all the same to search for the source. As soon as he did, something hit him right between the eyes.

Shaking his head he looked down and realized it had been two little rocks. Pebbles really. Someone was throwing pebbles at him? He looked up just in time to receive another pebble between the eyes.

Then another, larger one, grazed his ear.

This was getting annoying.

A chuckle brought his attention to a monkey who was hanging from a tree by his tail. He paws were wrapped in dark brown material, but in one paw Po could clearly see a handful of small rocks. "Hey," Po yelled, rubbing the slightly sore spot between his eyes. "What're you..."

The monkey grinned what could only be described as an evil grin before dropping from the tree and landing on his feet. Without warning he quickly began throwing the rocks again, this time much faster. Po blocked them easily for the most part, but took a step back to steady himself as the pebbles started coming at him faster and faster.

A rock, this time larger than the others, got past him and hit him on the nose. "Okay, seriously," he began while rubbing his nose. This was more than a little annoying now. He wasn't even sure what the point of it was. "What are you..."

The monkey still looked mostly amused in a dark sense of humor kind of way. He pulled back his arm, a rock almost the size of his paw in his grasp, and took aim. Po nearly rolled his eyes. He'd caught balls of fiery metal not too long ago. Compared to that, this would be like catching a dumpling.

The monkey threw the rock at an impressively fast speed, but as expected Po caught it easily just before it could smack him in the face. He gave his opponent an unimpressed look, to which the monkey simply smirked in return. Before he could do anything more, however, Po suddenly felt his paw begin to burn as if it were on fire.

He reflexively dropped the stone and began shaking his paw to get the burning to stop. It did after a few seconds and he looked down curiously at the circular rock now laying at his feet. It was rather flat and oddly smooth with what looked like a thin ring of gold coloring around the edge. In the center were wisps of silver swirling around the gray, giving it an almost marbled look. Glancing up he realized the monkey was now gone.

With a confused frown Po clenched his paw open and closed before looking at it more closely. To his surprise there was a blackened mark there, resembling a brand, in the exact spot where he'd caught the stone. It looked like nothing more than a circle with little wispy lines coming out of it. It could almost be a sun, except for the line stretching diagonally through the circle.

He closed and opened his paw again before looking back down at the rock. He'd never seen a rock quite like it and he had no idea how it'd gotten hot enough to burn his paw. Carefully, not wanting to burn his paw again, he bent down and poked it before quickly drawing back.

Nothing happened.

He cautiously picked it up and turned the rock over in his paw to study it while in the meantime the few remaining bandits ran off.

"What's that?" Crane asked as he landed next to the panda and peered at the rock.

Po shrugged as he studied it. "I don't know. Some weird monkey threw it at me. I was going to take it back to Master Shifu."

"The bandits are gone," Tigress stated as she joined them. "We should return to the Palace." With that she lifted one of the stolen crates and started making her way back towards the village where they could leave the items to be returned to their rightful owners.

There were relatively few crates of goods, Po absentmindedly noticed while he put the rock on top of a crate and then picked it up. Only four in fact, he realized as Crane and Mantis each picked up one to carry as well. They must not have been very ambitious bandits. Either that or maybe what was inside the crates was just worth a lot, so they didn't need many of them.

He shrugged it off either way and followed after the others, already launching into a discussion with Monkey about what to have for dinner later. When his paw began to itch he rubbed it against the crate and paid it little attention.


	2. So It Begins

A/N: Wow, you guys are awesome. I didn't expect such great reactions to this. Thank you all so much for taking an interest in this story! I hope it lives up to your expectations. Also, since this is a rather short chapter I'm going to go ahead and post chapter three as well.

* * *

Po sat the crate he had carried into the village down on the ground as grateful villagers crowded around to watch. With a look towards his dad's noodle shop he stuck the monkey's rock into the waistband of his pants for safe keeping. While they were in the village he might as well stop by to see his dad. He wouldn't get to spend as much time with him as he'd originally planned, but at least he could say hello.

"Hey, guys," he began, looking towards the Five as they sat down their crates and spoke with one of the village merchants. "I'm going to go say hi to my dad before we head back to the Palace. I'll be back." Once he received a subtle nod from Tigress and a distracted wave from Monkey, Po turned and took off towards the noodle shop. "Don't leave without me!" he called back at them.

He skidded to a halt just outside the restaurant before stepping inside. The restaurant was empty, but that wasn't too surprising since it seemed most of the village was gathered outside to celebrate the defeat of the bandits. "Dad?" he called, moving further inside.

Mr. Ping's head instantly popped up from behind the stove with an overjoyed expression. Within seconds he was running out of the kitchen and towards his son.

Po chuckled at his dad's cheerfulness as a broad smile spread over his face.

"Po!" The goose ran forward, obviously intent on hugging him. "I heard about the bandits. Are you okay, son?"

Before Po could even answer, his dad leapt forward and jumped onto his stomach, wrapping his wings around his torso as far as they would go. Po laughed again and returned the hug, making sure not to squeeze the goose too tightly. "I'm fine, dad. What smells so good?" he asked, raising his head when a delicious aroma drifted out from the kitchen.

His father, however, didn't answer.

Po frowned and started to let go of the goose. "Dad?"

Once his arms were no longer supporting him, Mr. Ping fell to the ground. He didn't seem to move even a single muscle. Po's heart started beating rapidly against his ribcage as panic washed over him. Had he hugged his dad too tightly? The goose looked rigid, his eyes wide opened, but yet he didn't move at all. Almost like a statue. He barely even seemed to breathe. "Dad!"

Po knelt down and put a paw on the old goose's chest, hoping to feel a heartbeat or...something. Anything. "Dad, come on. This isn't funny," he added. His panic was rising with each second that passed.

When the goose still didn't move even a fraction or show any signs of being aware that his son was there, Po looked over his shoulder in the general direction of where he'd last seen the others. "Guys! Come here! Tigress! Mantis!" he called, hoping someone would hear him and come quickly. He looked back down at his dad with fear filled eyes and tried to shake the goose back into consciousness.

Tigress arrived first, looking tense and ready to jump into a fight if need be. "Po, what's wrong?"

He heard Viper gasp softly before he could answer and watched out of the corner of his eye as the snake slithered around him to get a better look at the goose. "Mr. Ping?" she asked, placing the end of her tail on the goose's head.

"What happened?" Monkey asked as he and the others gathered around.

"I...I don't know," Po answered, stuttering slightly as the words spilled from his mouth in a jumble. "I came to see him and he hugged me like he always does and I hugged him back and I don't think I hugged him too tightly or anything, but when I let go he just...fell...and I...I don't know what happened. Is he okay?" he asked as he watched Mantis and Viper look his father over.

He felt a paw on his shoulder and didn't need to look up to know it was Tigress. The tiger master knelt down next to him a moment later without taking her watchful eyes off the goose.

"We should get him to the Palace and have the healer check him," Viper stated.

"I'll take him." Crane carefully took the goose in his talons and lifted him up before taking off into the air, flying as fast as he could towards the Palace.

Po watched them go, suddenly unable to move. He didn't know what was happening, or what he could do about it, and it left him feeling useless.

And terrified.

"Come on, Po." Monkey smiled up at him, obviously trying to ease his fears, before moving towards the exit with Viper and Mantis. "We'll meet them up there."

Po stood up and turned to follow them, but his feet felt like heavy weights again like they had early that day. Only this time it was for an entirely different reason. It was only the familiar paw on his back nudging him forward that finally got him to move. He followed after the others, but his mind was somewhere else entirely. By the time he reached the Thousand Steps he was running though, his thoughts circling solely around his dad.


	3. Deadly Accidents

A/N: So what do you think so far? As promised, here's chapter three. The mayhem has only just begun...

* * *

Po peered into his room where Crane had placed his dad. Deshi, the healer, was already in there and Po had been asked to stay out long enough for him to do his work. He tapped his fingertips together nervously until Viper's voice came from behind him.

"Excuse me, Po." As she slithered past him, a bowl of water balanced on her head, she turned sympathetic eyes towards the panda and gave him what was probably meant to be a comforting smile. "It'll be alright. We'll take care of him."

"Yeah. No worries, big guy," Mantis added as he jumped past Viper and into the room with his dad. "We got this."

The door was closed once Viper and Mantis were inside and Po was left staring at the wall now separating them. After a few seconds he sighed and turned around. It was then that he realized Tigress was standing across the hall outside her own room. She hadn't said much since they'd arrived at the Palace, but she seemed to be there whenever he turned around.

After returning to the Palace they'd found Master Shifu already waiting for them. And, of course, wanting an explanation. Po wished he'd had one to give. He had told Shifu about the monkey throwing rocks and the one rock which had burned his hand and what had happened when he'd hugged his dad. He had then given the stone to Master Shifu, who wouldn't take it until it had been wrapped in a piece of thick cloth. That had been nearly fifteen minutes ago now and Po hadn't seen his master since.

This was all his fault though. One way or another, Po knew that this was all his fault. He sighed again and ran a hand over his eyes.

"Are you alright?"

Po opened his eyes and looked across the hall at Tigress. She seemed perfectly calm, though perhaps a bit more apprehensive than usual, but he expected nothing less. "Yeah." He tried to smile in return, but doubted it was convincing. Tigress stared back at him, her gaze steady and unblinking and a little unnerving. She was waiting for him to continue.

"I just..." He didn't know how to finish that sentence, so he paused for a moment before trying again. "Did I ever tell you about the time I accidentally broke my dad's wing?"

Tigress shook her head slowly. "No."

It hadn't been his proudest moment. In fact it had just been another reminder of how much bigger he was than everyone else. Even his dad. And of how different he was.

"Yeah." He chuckled mirthlessly and absentmindedly scratched his paw. "I was five or six I think and one of the other kids about my age was having a birthday party at the noodle shop. Everyone was running around and having a good time," he continued, a bittersweet smile crossing his face for a moment as he remembered the party. Tigress remained silent as he told the story, but attentive all the same. "I kept dropping things and bumping into people. As usual. Then the party was ending and it was getting late, so a lot of the parents picked up their kids and were leaving. They just...looked so happy. And I remember thinking that I just wanted to be like them. One of the other kids passed by me and he looked over his dad's shoulder on the way out and gave me this look like he _knew_ what I was thinking and thought it was funny. It was stupid really," he added softly, his eyes on the floor of the hallway.

After a few long second when he didn't continue Tigress prodded him a little. "What was stupid?"

"I guess I just wanted to prove that I could be like them," he reluctantly admitted. "I turned and started running towards my dad and jumped towards him so he could pick me up, but he wasn't expecting it and so when he looked up he dropped the plates he'd been holding and tried to catch me...but I wound up falling on him and broke his wing." He glanced up at Tigress to see her still watching him with an emotionless expression. "I was scared to death when I hurt him. I never wanted to do that again. Ever. So I always tried to be more careful after that."

"Po," Tigress began, getting his attention. He looked up again and met her eyes. He immediately wanted to look away, but her hypnotic stare kept him from doing so. "I doubt your father blamed you for that. Just as I'm sure he will not blame you for whatever happened today. It was not your fault."

Po once again tried to smile, but he didn't think it was any more convincing than the last one. Ever since he had obtained inner peace, the teasing and taunting from his childhood didn't really matter to him anymore, but the thought of hurting his dad still scared him to death. Fortunately he was saved from trying to find something to say by Crane and Monkey coming around the corner and down the hall.

"Master Shifu thinks he may have found something similar to that stone in one of the scrolls," Monkey told them. "He said he'll be here as soon as he's finished."

"That rock had to have had something to do with this, right?" Po asked, hoping he didn't sound _too_ desperate. "I mean it wasn't just me. I had the rock with me and dad may have touched it or something..."

Monkey and Crane exchanged glances, but didn't mention the fact that the panda seemed near a panic attack.

"Po, you can come in," Viper suddenly called.

Without a second thought Po spun around and slid the door open, but in his excitement to get inside he didn't notice the healer leaving the room and wound up tripping in an attempt to avoid a collision. He fell face first through the doorway and landed with a ' _thud_ '.

"My sincere apologies, Dragon Warrior," the healer quickly said, looking honestly apologetic.

"My fault, no worries," Po replied as he pushed himself up. The healer quickly bowed respectively and then scurried from the room and down the hall.

"Oh no," Crane said from the doorway.

Po rubbed his nose as he got to his knees and glanced over to see the others staring at the floor where he'd landed. After following their stares he promptly jumped to his feet and backed up a few feet towards the far corner of the room.

Laying sprawled out where Po had landed was Mantis. And he wasn't moving. In fact his eyes were open and he looked as stiff as Mr. Ping still did. Monkey moved closer and nudged him cautiously, but Mantis remained frozen. Po looked up at the others frantically, not sure what to do or say, but Shifu chose that moment to walk into the room.

The red panda walked past Tigress and Crane, his eyes focused intently on the scroll in his paws, and stopped just inside the room. "There is a mention of a stone bearing a resemblance to the one thrown at you, Po. Unfortunately the scroll only says that it is dangerous and to be handled cautiously, not _why_ it is dangerous. It does, however, also mention that the stone was last known to reside within the Tong Ku Forrest."

Shifu stopped reading and looked up to the absolute silence of his students. His eyes instantly flickered from the unmoving goose to the equally unmoving master on the floor before looking up at Po with an arched eyebrow.

Po smiled sheepishly. "Um...Oops?"

Shifu's ear twitched as he stared at the panda. After a few silent seconds he sighed and addressed Viper. "How is Mr. Ping?" he asked. "And Mantis," he added with a glance towards the statue-like master.

"Their breathing is a little shallow, but they seem fine otherwise, Master," Viper answered while she looked Mantis over. "It's as if they're frozen though. They don't show any signs of being aware of where they are or have any reflexive responses."

"I see," Shifu said thoughtfully. He looked back at Po and stepped closer. "Let me see your hand, Po."

Po took a step back and held his now branded paw to his chest. "What if I zap you too!"

Shifu took another step closer and held out his own paw. "You won't if you are careful, panda. Now let me see."

Po shuffled backwards until his back hit the corner. He'd already zapped Mantis and his dad, leaving them frozen and who knows what else. He didn't want to hurt anyone else. "But..."

Shifu flashed him an irritated look just before he made a move to grab Po's wrist. With another sudden rush of panic, Po yanked his paw away and tried to duck out of his master's reach. Shifu was undeterred though. The Grandmaster continued to reach for his wrist, moving faster than Po could get out of the way, but Shifu missed just enough that he grabbed the panda's paw instead.

Po's eyes widened as he watched Shifu suddenly stiffen and fall backwards. He stumbled back at the sudden release of his paw and instinctively reached out with his other hand to grab hold of something to keep him upright. Unfortunately it was Monkey's tail that his paw found first, and as he continued to fall his marked paw flew reflexively outward as well.

"Oomph," he grunted as his back hit the floor. Po opened his eyes and found himself staring up at Tigress from where he had, apparently, landed at her feet. It took a few seconds longer for his brain to process the position he was in and for him to also realize there were two very stiff masters lying next to him.

"Oh Po," he heard Viper whisper.

He jumped up and turned around in a circle. Shifu...Mantis...Monkey...Crane. They all lay stiff, unmoving, and with their eyes staring unseeingly. Just like his dad. He hadn't even touched Monkey with his marked paw! And Crane he had only briefly grazed with the back of his other paw.

Po stared wide-eyed at them before finally finding some words. "This is not good."


	4. Zapped

A/N: I just wanted to say 'thank you' again. I hadn't expected such a warm welcome. So thank you very much for reading, adding to favorites and alerts, and for the wonderful reviews!

* * *

Shifu, Monkey, Mantis, and Crane were placed on sleeping mats besides Po's cot where his dad still lay. They hadn't bothered calling the healer back. Deshi hadn't known any more than the rest of them had anyway. Po watched as Viper checked over their unresponsive friends before sighing and slithering over to him and Tigress, but staying a safe distance away from him just in case.

"What're we going to do?" he asked.

Tigress was the one to answer. "You and I will go to the Tong Ku Forest to look for answers. There must be a way to reverse this. Viper, stay here with the others."

"Uh," Po began. "Are you sure it's safe for you to go with me, Tigress?" He held up his paws to look at them with a deep frown. "All I did was tap Crane's leg and he was zapped. And the hand I grabbed Monkey's tail with wasn't even the hand I caught the stone with! What if..."

"As long as we are careful it will be fine," Tigress answered before addressing Viper again. "If anything changes in their conditions..."

"I'll send Zeng right away," Viper assured her with a nod. "Be safe, you two. The Tong Ku Forest is not a place anyone travels through, for very good reasons."

Tigress nodded before turning to leave.

"What?" Po looked between the two masters before following after Tigress. He cast one last worried look at his dad before stepping out of the room and into the hallway. "What does that mean? Why doesn't anyone travel through the Tong Ku Forest?"

"It is said that there are hidden dangers within the forest," Tigress answered without stopping. "Some believe it to be protected by the spirits of warriors long gone."

"Great. Yeah, sounds great." His dad and the others were frozen like statues while he and Tigress were about to go looking for a cure in a dangerous forest full of ghosts who didn't sound all that friendly. What had he gotten them into this time?

"Po."

Po stopped abruptly at the sound of Tigress' voice and looked up just in time to come face-to-face with the tiger master. He'd managed to stop just before crashing into her, but they were so close he found himself staring into her eyes as the fur of his stomach very nearly grazed her. His heart began to race after the very near accident and close proximity. "Yeah?" he asked weakly.

Silence passed between them for a moment before she took a step back, putting some distance between them. "I know you are worried about your father and the others, but you need to stay focused so we can figure this out. Losing your focus could lead to another accident and I don't particularly want to get..."

"Zapped," he finished for her.

"Precisely."

"I'll pay attention. I promise," he assured her with a nod.

"Good. Now go and get some provisions from the kitchen for us to take. The Tong Ku Forest is at least a day's journey from here," Tigress told him.

Po nodded and started to head for the kitchen with a new determination. "On it."

"And Po..."

He stopped and looked back. "Yeah?"

"Pack only what will be absolutely needed," Tigress said, holding his gaze with a knowing look. "The lighter we pack, the faster we will be able to travel."

"So no almond cookies?" he asked with a slight smile.

Tigress returned the smile with a faint one of her own. "No almond cookies." With that she turned and continued on her way, leaving him to head for the kitchen.

* * *

Po stuffed the last of the food into the bag. He'd tried to do as Tigress had said and packed only what he thought was absolutely necessary, yet the bag seemed to fill up quickly. He placed the pack on the table and took one last look around in case he'd forgotten something.

"Are you ready, Dragon Warrior?"

Po turned back around to find Tigress standing at the table with him. How she had entered the kitchen without him hearing her, he didn't know. But it _was_ Tigress, after all. He glanced down and saw the scroll Shifu had been reading in her paw with a couple of rolled up blankets tucked under her arm.

He nodded and gestured to the sack on the table. "Yep. All packed."

Tigress glanced from him to the bag, which admittedly looked pretty full. She pulled the sack towards her and opened it to place the blankets and scroll inside, but when she saw the contents she looked back up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"I just wanted to make sure we'd have enough. And who knows, maybe those warrior spirits are hungry," he said with a sheepish smile.

To his surprise she didn't comment on his 'logic' and instead rolled the blankets tighter so they would fit more easily into the bag. Once finished she closed the pack. "If you're ready than we should get going. It will be dark in a few hours."

"I'm all set."

"Good."

Po reached for the pack before he realized Tigress had done the same. To his horror their paws collided as they both reached for the same strap. He snapped his eyes shut tightly, not wanting to see her go rigid as the others had. When no ' _thud_ ' followed indicating she had fallen to the ground he chanced opening one eye a fraction.

To his surprise, and bewilderment, Tigress stood absolutely still with her paw still on the strap under his own paw. Her eyes were flickering from their touching paws to him and back with a hint of surprise shining in them.

She wasn't frozen.

He hadn't zapped her!

"How..." With wide eyes he looked at their still touching paws and leaned down closer just to make sure they really were touching. They were. "How is that possible?"

"I'm not sure," Tigress admitted, sounding more confused than he'd ever heard her sound.

"Your hands!" Po exclaimed as a thought struck him. "You trained with the Ironwood trees and you said you can't feel with them anymore, right? Maybe that's it!" He couldn't help but feel relieved and a more than a little excited that he hadn't hurt her.

"Perhaps." She didn't sound completely convinced, and now seemed even more curious than ever. "And perhaps we will find the answer to this as well in the forest. Come on." She moved her paw from under his and turned to leave. "It's time to go."

Po nodded and picked up the sack, slung it over his shoulder, and followed after her. He still had no idea what was going on or what they were going to do to help his dad and their friends, but so far the only answers seemed to lie in the Tong Ku Forest.

* * *

As Po and Tigress walked around the edge of the village, being careful to veer away from villagers milling around, a lone figure stood in the shadows watching them leave. The wolf pushed back the hood of his robe as he peered around the corner to watch the two masters disappear into the surrounding trees. A crooked smile spread over his face at the sight.

He could now tell Xun that all was going according to plan.


	5. Doubts and Nightmares

Disclaimer: Just a reminder that I don't own Kung Fu Panda. Which I assume is obvious.

A/N: Another chapter! A little Po introspective as well as some Tigress POV as well. Let me know what you think!

* * *

 _Po's heart was racing. All around him were faceless bodies. They didn't move. Didn't speak. Didn't breathe. He spun around in a circle while trying to figure out where he was and what was going on. Everything was so bright though. All he could see were the statue-like bodies of villagers._

 _Suddenly his dad appeared before him with a disappointed look on his face. "Why, Po?"_

 _"Wh-what?" he asked in return. Right before his eyes the goose fell to the ground at his feet. Po watched as the goose slowly turned grey all over, his eyes clouding over until they too were nothing but stone. Just like a statue. "Dad!"_

 _"You are the Dragon Warrior!" Shifu abruptly flew over his head in a graceful leap, and landed beside his dad. "You are meant to protect, not do harm. What is your excuse this time, panda?"_

 _Po hadn't seen his master so furious since he'd first arrived at the Jade Palace. He shuffled backwards in an attempt to get away from the red panda's anger. "I'm sorry. I don't..."_

 _Suddenly Crane fell from the sky, looking as grey and unnaturally still as his father. He hit the ground and instantly began to break apart, crumbling piece by piece from the impact. Po watched with wide eyes as his friend, literally, fell to pieces._

 _"Po?"_

 _He turned quickly again to find Viper staring at him with an expression so sad it made him feel even worse than when Shifu had yelled at him. The snake shook her head in disappointment and slithered past him, but as he turned to call after her, his leg accidentally brushed against her. To his growing dread he watched helplessly as she too turned to stone._

 _"No no no," he repeated over and over._

 _Mantis jumped onto his shoulder and then immediately fell unmoving to the ground._

 _He backed up into Monkey and watched him join the others at his feet. His friends...his family...his entire world was turning to stone right before his eyes._

 _"You are no warrior, panda."_

 _Po looked up to find Tigress right in front him. There was raw hate in her eyes as she stared at him. "Tigress?" He couldn't stop himself from reaching towards her. His heart pounded in his ears as tears gathered at the corner of his eyes. Why did she hate him? He didn't want to hurt anyone. He didn't want to hurt her._

 _His fingertips gently grazed the side of her face and he held his breath. When nothing happened he began to smile, but the smile quickly turned to horror as the fur under his fingertips hardened. Soon the graying of her fur spread from just under his paw to the rest of her face, then traveled down the length of her body. She stiffened and her piercing stare turned empty...hollow..._

 _Lifeless._

 _"No!"_

Po shot upright, his breathing labored and his heart still racing just as it had in the dream. He looked around frantically until he spotted Tigress laying on her blanket a respectable distance away. She looked perfectly calm and peaceful as she slept. For a moment he simply watched the rise and fall of her chest, the movement reassuring him that she really was alive and okay.

As his heart slowly returned to its normal steady pace, he sat up straight and leaned back against a log. As he tried to get comfortable, Po reminding himself that he had touched Tigress and she had been fine. He hadn't hurt her. The others were being cared for by Viper and soon they would find a way to make this all right again. He just needed to be careful until then.

But what if there was no cure?

Could he spend the rest of his life not touching anyone? Not hugging anyone ever again? What if he accidentally brushed up against someone? What if he was doomed to spend the rest of his life locked in a room all alone, separated from the outside world and his friends and family, and never able to risk being around another living being again?

Maybe he could spend the next twenty years punching Ironwood trees like Tigress. He glanced over at the sleeping feline and nearly scoffed. Who was he kidding? Tigress was right. That style wasn't really him.

Po turned his paws over and stared down at them, his eyes tracing the branded mark on his right paw. Wrapping them had proved useless. The material had somehow dissolved after a few minutes, almost as if burnt away. He didn't know what to do. He was desperate to do _something_ , but yet felt absolutely useless. He was dangerous. Just being around him was dangerous. He couldn't remember ever feeling so alone or so detached from everyone.

He didn't like the feeling at all.

* * *

Tigress' eyes popped opened and she instantly began listening intently for whatever had woken her up. She didn't hear any footsteps though. No snapping branches or twigs. Only the slight rustle of leaves as a gentle breeze blew through the trees overhead.

There was also, she realized, no sounds of a snoring panda.

She slowly turned over onto her back and then onto her other side. Her gaze instantly locked onto the panda across the small makeshift camp. He was sitting up and simply staring down at his paws as if they weren't even his. His brows were creased with worry and he appeared deep in thought. He also seemed absolutely miserable.

She slowly rose from her blanket and moved over to the panda, taking a seat directly across from him. He didn't seem to notice that she was even there, so she waited and watched him closely for a few moments in hopes that he would snap out of whatever trance he was in. When he still hadn't noticed her after a few minutes she spoke his name.

"Po…."

The panda abruptly looked up, obviously startled, and then looked embarrassed. "Sorry, Tigress. I didn't notice you get up. I didn't wake you, did I?"

She decided not to bother answering that question. She was a light sleeper. It didn't matter if he had or if he hadn't been the cause of her waking up. What was done was done. "Why are you not sleeping?" she asked instead.

Po looked down at his paws again. "What if we can't fix them? The others I mean." His voice was soft, almost a whisper, but held a fear and guilt that spoke volumes.

She didn't hesitate to answer. "We will."

Po sighed and closed his paws into fists, letting them lay in his lap. He then closed his eyes and turned his face away from her. "What if the thing before was a fluke and you're not really immune to this? I don't want to hurt you too, Tigress," he confessed, his voice becoming even softer.

The pain he felt was practically tangible and Tigress wished she could take it away from him. She didn't want her friend to suffer so. Without a second thought or a moment's hesitation she reached out and placed her paw over his. "You won't," she stated confidently.

Po's eyes widened as he stared down at the paw covering his. For a moment she wasn't sure he was even still breathing. Slowly, cautiously, he moved his left paw over hers. He hesitated as his paw hovered over hers, an inner battle apparently being waged, before he gently covered her paw with his.

Tigress watched as his shoulders relaxed and he released the breath he'd been holding. He held her paw tightly, though it felt like nothing more than a very light pressure to her. She could tell he had needed this meager form of contact more than she'd even realized.

"Thank you, Tigress," he whispered, a ghost of a smile appearing on his face as he finally looked up and met her eyes.

The moment was comfortable, filled with a warmth she'd come to associate solely with Po, and suddenly she didn't want to ruin it. A part of her, a part she quickly pushed to the back of her mind, didn't even want this moment to end at all. There was just something...nice...about being this close to her friend.

They were on a mission though. Not a meditation break.

She nodded lightly and gave his paw a gentle squeeze in return. "Get some sleep. We will need to get going at first light."

Po nodded his understanding as she slipped her paw from between his before moving back to her blanket. Tigress laid down, this time laying on her opposite side so she was facing Po. Only once he was laying down again did she close her eyes and allow herself to sleep once more.


	6. The Tong Ku Forest

A/N: This chapter is pretty short. The next one will be longer though and I'll hopefully get it posted tomorrow. Po and Tigress are arriving at the Tong Ku Forest now...

* * *

"It doesn't look that bad," Po stated as he looked at the line of trees before him. It looked like any other forest he'd seen. He had expected something a lot creepier considering the Tong Ku Forest was supposed to be infested with warrior spirits intent on keeping people out.

"Po, turn around."

He turned his head and discovered that Tigress was facing the opposite direction as he was. As he turned around completely his eyes widened and he swallowed thickly. The tree line he now faced was much darker than the one at the other end of the clearing. Spiked vines twisted their way up tree trunks and the foliage was so dense he could barely see into the forest. A rocky mountain in the distance seemed to loom over the mass forest like some sort of ever present guardian, giving it an even more foreboding and dreary feel.

"Okay, yeah. That's pretty creepy," he admitted.

Tigress began walking towards the tree line, leaving him to follow after her. "We'll be fine."

"Yeah, sure. I mean I'm not worried." He looked up at the twisted and eerie looking trees as they passed under them. "Maybe a little worried..." He trailed off and quickened his pace so he could catch up with Tigress while his eyes flickered from one creepy tree to the next.

"Keep your eyes open and stay focused," the feline warned.

"Did you see that?" he hissed, pointing to the tree they were passing. "I'm pretty sure that vine just moved on its own."

Tigress ignored him. "The scroll does not specify where in the forest the stone was supposed to be located, so we will have to search for..."

"Okay, now I _know_ that root just tried to trip me on purpose."

Tigress rolled her eyes. "It's all in your head. _Focus_ , Po."

"Yeah, focus," he muttered to himself. He tried to concentrate on where they were going, but couldn't help but to glance back and forth whenever he thought he'd caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Every time he looked, however, there was nothing there. Nothing except dark, sinister trees.

After walking for nearly ten minutes with no real idea of where they were going, Po noticed Tigress begin to slow down. He glanced curiously over at her just in time to see her ear twitch. She looked almost apprehensive, he realized.

"Tigress?" he asked.

"We are being followed," she said quietly in reply, keeping her voice low.

"Followed?" Po whispered. He looked around as they continued to trudge through the thick foliage, but still didn't see anyone or anything. If Tigress said they were being followed, than they were being followed though. "By what?" he asked just as quietly. "Ghosts? Angry warrior ghosts..."

Before he had time to even finish the disquieting thought, sunlight suddenly cut through the overhang of trees in irregular patterns as robed figures jumped from the treetops and landed gracefully all around them. They were surrounded on all sides in a matter of seconds by the robed figures.

Robed figures who had very sharp looking spears pointed in their direction.

Tigress was instantly in her fighting stance, but Po looked down at his hands uncertainly. He didn't want to risk touching anyone. He didn't _want_ to zap anyone into oblivion.

Tigress seemed to notice his hesitation and positioned herself closer to him and slightly in front of him, obviously prepared to keep as many of the robed figures away from him as she could.

"Who are you?" Tigress demanded to know.

Po couldn't see under the robes, but they didn't seem to look much like ghosts. Ghosts probably wouldn't need very solid looking robes or spears. Then again, he'd never seen a ghost before either.

When no answer came to Tigress' question she snarled slightly and tried again. "What do you want from us?"

"You have entered this forbidden place," one of the robed figures finally said. "You must turn back now or we will _make_ you turn back."

"We can't do that," Tigress said in reply, still ready to fight at any moment. "We are on a mission from the Jade Palace. We are..."

"You must leave at once," the robed figure stated firmly, cutting Tigress off mid-sentence.

The feline's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I don't think so."

The robed figures instantly held their spears higher as they prepared to attack. Po quickly raised his arms and got into his own fighting stance. He couldn't let Tigress fight all of them alone.

As soon as he raised his paws the robed figures backed away though. A collective murmuring broke out around the circle until the one who had been speaking lowered his spear, causing the rest to do the same. Po and Tigress exchanged glances as they let their fighting stances drop, though Tigress remained alert and ready just in case.

The robed figure who seemed to be the leader of the group stepped forward and lowered his hood, revealing a pig with time weathered features. He stayed a good distance away as he looked Po up and down. "You have been marked," he stated matter-of-factly.

"What?" Po looked down at his right paw briefly in realization. "You mean my hand?"

"Yes," the old pig answered. "Follow me." He turned without another word and began leading the way through the forest. The other robed figures remained where they were, apparently waiting for him and Tigress to move first.

"So I guess we're following him than," Po said after catching Tigress' eye.

"It would seem so."

Together they followed the pig, the rest of the robed figures trailing after them yet staying a safe distance away. Po just hoped they weren't being lead into some sort of warrior spirit sacrificial ceremony or something.


	7. The Marked One

A/N: So, now we're starting to get a few answers. Not necessarily good answers though...

* * *

They had walked in silence for over half an hour before the thick foliage began to thin slightly. A few minutes after that and they came across an even less dense area where the trees thinned even further, allowing a more reasonable amount of light through. And there, in the center of the small clearing with rays of light shining down around it, was a rundown palace. Or what Po assumed used to be a palace.

It was only half standing. Parts of the walls were crumbling and most of it appeared to be leaning at odd angles. Vines were twisted all around it, and it almost seemed as if those vines were the only thing keeping it together at all. It had obviously been abandoned by the original owners long ago, but even in its disarray Po could easily believe that at one time or another it had been a beautiful palace.

Po leaned over to Tigress while keeping his eyes on the old, crumbling palace. "Did you know this existed?" he asked quietly. He couldn't help but to be a bit awed by the sight.

"I highly doubt there are many still alive today who know of its existence," Tigress answered just as quietly.

The pig turned to look back at them upon realizing they'd stopped to stare at the remains of the palace. "Follow me. Inside," he urged.

"Uh, are you sure it's actually safe to go in there?" Po asked as they began walking towards a large stone door.

The pig snorted. "Safe enough."

"That's encouraging," Po muttered to himself.

They stopped again just long enough for two of the robed figures to slide the heavy looking door open. Once open the pig led the way inside.

"Wow," Po muttered upon stepping inside.

At another time the room may have resembled the Hall of Warriors at the Jade Palace, and he could imagine it would have been awesome. Now it looked as rundown as the outside, but yet it was still beautiful in a way. Vines snaked up the walls and stretched all the way to the high ceiling. These vines had light pink flowers instead of spikes though, giving some color to the otherwise dull gray walls. The ceiling looked as if a mural had been painted on it at some point in time, but now the paint had chipped away in most places. A few blotches of color still existed though. In the center of the hall stood what looked like a large solid gold fountain, but only a thin layer of unmoving water stood at the base.

"This way," the pig instructed.

Po tore his gaze from the fountain to where the pig was pushing aside a much newer looking rice paper wall, revealing an archway off to the side of the grand hall. He exchanged glances with Tigress again before stepping through the archway, Tigress following right behind him.

"Return to your posts," the pig instructed, addressing the robed figures, before stepping through the archway as well.

The room they entered was much smaller, lit mostly with candles and torches along the walls. Near the wall opposite the entrance was a throne that appeared to have been made of marble. Tiny pieces had chipped away and it was lined with cracks though. It looked more like it was being used a table than a chair now. A vase of flowers sat in the seat and scrolls were on the armrests. In the middle of the room was a simple wooden table that, like the paper wall, looked newer than the rest of the palace.

Po was so occupied with studying the room that it took a moment longer to notice the people standing around watching him and Tigress. There was a ram, a goose, and two owls. All of them were watching them closely with suspicious looks. Po waved and tried to smile. "Hey," he greeted.

The pig walked over to the ram and whispered something that Po couldn't hear. He leaned over to Tigress as he watched. "Think they're talking about us," he whispered.

Tigress shot him a 'seriously, Po' look before turning her attention back the still whispering ram and pig. Finally they stopped talking and the ram walked over to them with a cane in hand and his crimson rope belt dragging along the stone floor.

"I have been told that you have been marked by the Bai Yin Stone," the ram began, looking directly at Po.

"Uh, yeah, I guess," Po replied uncertainly. He'd never heard of anything called the 'Bai Yin Stone' before, but the ram seemed to know what he was talking about.

"What do you know about the stone?" Tigress asked.

The ram paused before answering. "It was recently stolen from us."

"Um...You know that wasn't us, right?" Po asked. He really hoped that he and Tigress weren't about to be held responsible for stealing the stone.

"We are aware of that, yes."

Tigress took a step forward. "Who are you?"

Po thought it was a pretty fair question.

The female goose was the one to answer. "We are the guardians of these woods and the protectors of this palace," she answered. "We and those before us have resided here for many years, living in peace and keeping outsiders away from where they should not tread. The Bai Yin Stone was under our protection."

"Until it was stolen," the dusty gray owl commented with a scoff.

"By a monkey?" Tigress questioned.

"Yes," the same owl answered. "He tricked us. Our forest watchers, the ones who found you and brought you here, discovered him. He was supposedly injured, so was brought him here so we could help him. We rarely bring outsiders this far into the forest, let alone to the palace, but he seemed truly ill."

"Ah, man," Po said with a groan. "And he stole the stone from you? That sneaky little monkey. I knew I didn't like that guy."

"Indeed." The ram seemed momentarily amused as he leaned on his cane. "My name is Ru Jian. What are your names, strangers?"

"I'm Po. This is Tigress," he added, pointing to the tiger next to him.

"We're masters from the Jade Palace," the feline added. "We have come seeking information regarding the stone."

"Yes," the ram commented thoughtfully. "Your friend has been marked. The monkey's doing, I suppose."

Po nodded. "Yep."

"What do you know about it?" Tigress asked.

"It is unknown just how old the stone is," Ru Jian explained. "The legend of the Bai Yin Stone says that a warrior with great wealth, the same one who built this palace, discovered two halves of a stone in this very forest. He brought the halves together, holding them in place with a ring of gold, and discovered that the stone seemed to possess unique properties. Legend tells of how this warrior sought power and respect above all else, so the possibilities of the stone tempted him greatly. He summoned a sorceress to perform dark magic on the stone, bringing forth its power."

Po nodded as he listened intently, enthralled with the story. "What happened?"

"The warrior banned anyone else from touching the stone. He waited until the sorceress was finished and then used the stone for himself. After that he was able to defeat his enemies with a mere touch. He became greatly feared instead of respected. This angered the warrior," the ram explained. "Soon however he realized it was not just his enemies he harmed with a mere touch, but those he cared about as well. It wasn't long before the shame and guilt became too much. He disappeared, leaving the stone behind in his palace. Some say he fled to the mountain, never to be seen or heard from again and to live the rest of his life out in seclusion so he could harm no other living being."

Po stared blankly at the ram for a minute. "Well that's depressing."

Tigress glanced sideways at him before addressing Ru Jian. "Is there a way to return those touched to normal?"

"There is no definite answer in any of the scrolls which I have read," Ru Jian answered. "Though it was once said that victims of the Bai Yin Touch could be returned to normal if the one who is marked dies before his or her time, of unnatural causes, then the damage may be reversed."

That didn't sound good. Po rubbed his right paw without noticing he was doing so. "So, basically...I have to sacrifice myself to fix my friends?"

"There must be another way," Tigress stated. She sounded almost more determined than ever. "You mentioned there were scrolls about the stone?"

The goose nodded. "We have well over two thousand ancient scrolls here. The stone is referenced in several of them."

"May we see these scrolls?" the tiger asked.

Ru Jian looked them both over as he thought over the request. Po shifted from foot to foot under the scrutiny as they waited. "Do you have the stone in your possession?" he asked in return.

"Umm..." Po shifted uncomfortably again. He'd last seen the stone just before handing it over to Master Shifu. After that he'd been too concerned about his dad to keep track of what Shifu had done with it. He hadn't even thought about bringing it along with them.

Before he could actually answer, Tigress reached for the bag still hanging from his shoulder. He watched her with a slightly confused expression as she sat the sack down and began rifling through it. After a few seconds she removed the scroll from the bag and began unrolling it. There, inside the scroll and still wrapped in the cloth he'd given it to Shifu in, was the stone.

Po grinned as Tigress straightened and carefully moved the cloth from over the stone enough for everyone to see. She was careful not to touch the actual rock with her paw as she walked over to Ru Jian and showed him the stone.

The ram nodded in satisfaction. "If you agree to leave the stone with us than you may study the scrolls all you like. I assure you that we will not allow it to be taken from this place of safety again. It will be safe here," the ram promised them. "You may also stay the night and rest, but Master Po will have to stay secluded. We cannot risk any accidental contact."

Tigress glanced down at the stone and then over at Po. He could practically see her weighing the options in her head. Finally she nodded and placed the stone on the table. "Agreed," she stated.

Ru Jian gestured at the robed pig. "Bing will take your friend to a room where he will not be at risk of coming in contact with any of those residing here, while you are taken to the Hall of Scrolls." He turned towards the table as the goose walked over to join him.

"I have another question." Tigress waited until the ram turned back to face her before continuing. "How is the Bai Yin Touch taken from one who is marked?"

Po turned his paw over so he could see the brand and frowned at the sight. Ru Jian's answer might just dictate how his future went. Was he destined to be separated from everyone else for the rest of life? He closed his paw into a fist and held it against his chest before looking up at the others again.

Ru Jian didn't answer right away. He turned his gaze to Po and a brief flash of regret crossed his features before it was gone. Po felt the hope he'd been clinging to begin to deflate. "I am afraid there is no way that I know of. I am sorry to you both."

Po stared blankly at the ram.

 _Well that sucked._


	8. Crumbling

A/N: The first part of this chapter is from Po's POV while the second half is Tigress' POV. I briefly considered splitting it into two separate chapters, but I thought it worked better this way. This is definitely the start of some more serious Po/Tigress as well. Let me know what you think! And thanks again for taking the time to read this story!

* * *

Po stared down at his right paw as he sat on the floor. There was a wooden table and chairs in the room, but after being lead inside and left alone he had simply plopped down onto the ground where he'd been standing. He didn't seem to have the energy to move to the table.

The room was empty. The table and chairs being the only furniture while a tattered old painting of the mountain hung on a wall. It felt cold, though he had a feeling that was mostly just him. He just felt so...alone. His dad and friends were in trouble, he may never be able to be around other living beings again, and so far the only option they had to get their friends back was to sacrifice himself.

Po knew that if it came down to it he'd give his life to bring his dad and the others back without a second thought. They were everything to him. He didn't _want_ to die, that definitely wasn't how he'd planned things to go, but if it was the only way to fix what he'd done...

Yeah, he'd give his life in a heartbeat.

It was the least he could do. His dad had taken him in when he was just a baby and raised him as a son. He'd always been there for him. Always. And Shifu was his master who had taught him more than he had ever thought he'd learn about Kung Fu. Then there was Mantis, Crane, and Monkey. They were some of his best friends. Some of the best friends he'd ever had in his entire life. Friends weren't something he took for granted, not after having so few real friends while growing up. Together they were his family. His totally awesome family. He had no doubt they'd go to extremes to save him any day. What was giving his life in comparison to all that?

Besides, if he was doomed to spend that life in exile what did it matter? He'd rather do some good with what life he had left than sit alone for years and years so he couldn't hurt anyone else. He knew that Tigress wouldn't give up on him, that she'd keep looking for answers for as long as it took, but if there were no answers to be found than they'd have to give up eventually. He wasn't about to ask Tigress to spend her life trying to save him from this. He _couldn't_ ask that of her. Even if she was the only person he could risk being around.

He had yet to really figure that one out.

He used the fingers of his left paw to trace the mark on his right, slowing following the pattern while wondering why anyone would want this kind of 'power'.

"You seem lost in your own thoughts, Dragon Warrior."

Po's head shot up at the unexpected voice. Standing near the doorway was the old goose, Liling as he'd heard her called, with a gentle smile on her face as she watched him. "How'd you know I was the Dragon Warrior?" He hadn't mentioned that and neither had Tigress. He'd actually gotten the impression that most of the people here were pretty disconnected with anything outside of the forest.

"I tend to venture out of the palace a little more than the others," she answered with a light laugh. "I have heard stories of the great warrior who has saved China." She bowed slightly before taking a few steps further into the room. "It is an honor."

"Uh, thanks," he said in reply.

"Tell me, Dragon Warrior, how did the monkey manage to make you touch the stone?"

Po rubbed his right arm as it began to feel a little stiff. "He threw it at me. And I caught it."

' _I stupidly caught it_ ,' he added silently in his head.

"I see." The goose seemed slightly surprised at the answer. "And he did this...on purpose?"

"Um, yeah," he answered as the memory of the monkey pelting him with rocks and the smirk he'd worn afterwards flashed through his mind. "I think it's pretty safe to say he did it on purpose."

"Strange that he would intentionally give you such power," the goose murmured thoughtfully to herself.

"Yeah, well, it feels more like a curse than power right now," Po muttered in return. He pushed himself up to his feet and tried to brush aside all the depressing thoughts that he'd gotten himself lost in. It wasn't the end quite yet, after all. He and Tigress could still find some answers in the scrolls. His dad, Shifu, the others, and he weren't _completely_ out of luck. Yet.

"There is something else on your mind, Master Po..."

Po looked at the goose suspiciously. The way she'd said that had almost seemed like she really did know what he was thinking. It was kinda creepy. It also reminded him of the soothsayer from Gongmen City actually.

"I was just thinking about Tigress," Po began, his thoughts wondering again as he stared off into the distance. "I mean I guess it could be her numb paws. That's the only thing I could think of that would explain it...unless it's just because she's a tiger. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, it's just that..."

The goose titled her head to the side. "I'm afraid I don't know what you are referring to."

So she couldn't _really_ read his mind. That made him feel a bit better. "Tigress is immune to the touch or something," he explained. "I don't zap her when I touch her."

Liling looked him over with a stare so intense Po found himself shifting uncomfortable under her scrutiny. She suddenly reminded him more than ever of the soothsayer back in Gongmen City. They had the same piercing stare that was more than a little creepy.

"There is another part of the legend," she finally said, breaking the eerie silence. "It tells that only one person was immune to the warrior's touch. His wife, the woman whom he loved with all his heart. It is said that their combined love acted as a shield, essentially deactivating the Bai Yin Touch. I believe that is where your answer lies, Dragon Warrior. It is love that is protecting Master Tigress."

That didn't make sense. Did he love Tigress? Yeah, of course. But he loved his dad too and he loved his Jade Palace family. "But the Five and Shifu and my dad are my family," he pointed out with a deep frown. "I love all of them, but they still got zapped!"

The old goose smirked, a strange glimmer of mischief in her unwavering stare. "I am speaking of a different kind of love, Dragon Warrior."

"But..." Po stopped mid-thought as dawning realization struck him like a swift punch to his gut. A different kind of love. She meant...she meant the soul mate, knot in his stomach, kind of love. "Oh..."

"Indeed."

Po tapped his fingertips together. "We, uh, don't have to tell Tigress this, right?"

"I believe it may be too late for that." Liling's gaze suddenly shifted to look at something over his shoulder with the same amused and knowing smirk.

Po frowned again, this time in confusion, and followed her stare to the entrance. There was no one there though. Just an empty archway.

* * *

Tigress pressed her back against the wall next to the entrance of the room. She hadn't intentionally eavesdropped. She had simply been on her way back to Po with some scrolls when she'd suddenly heard the conversation going on inside the room. Her feet had brought her to a stop of their own accord as the two had continued to speak inside. What she'd heard had almost been surreal.

Po was in love with her? Was it possible? The goose's theory as to why she was unaffected by Po's touch could be just that. A theory. It wasn't necessarily true. It didn't mean Po was in love with her, or that they were some kind of soul mates or whatever else that Liling was insinuating.

But then, what else could it be?

She had heard stories of similar things, but had always believed them to be just tales meant for children. Could love actually be that powerful? Master Oogway had believed so, she knew that much.

And Po hadn't denied it when Liling suggested that he loved her 'differently'. He hadn't even tried to deny it. He had basically confirmed it, in fact. Why was she so surprised by that though? Po wasn't subtle. He didn't hide his love for his family and friends. And while she could try to argue that he didn't truly feel _that_ kind of love, she wasn't sure she could do so and believe it herself. If she were honest, the signs were there.

She had ignored his over-exuberant adoration when he had first arrived at the Jade Palace. He'd been a self-proclaimed fan of hers and the Five's, after all. As he had settled into his new life they'd become friends, and that initial reaction to her had faded. Was it really that far-fetched to think that he could feel something for her still though?

She wasn't sure how she felt about him in return however. She cared for him. She cared for him more than she had expected to originally. And there was something...different...in the way she felt around him. She had never put words to it and wasn't sure she wanted to. Po had done something to her that no one else had ever been able to. He had gotten past her defenses and became the best friend she had ever had.

The walls she had so meticulously crafted were beginning to crumble. She could practically feel it.

No, not crumble.

Po had simply managed to build himself a door which only he held the key to. A door he could enter and exit of at his own free will. A door straight to her heart.

It was unnerving. Perhaps a little frightening. Yet also...exhilarating.

"Are you alright, panda?"

The goose's question caught Tigress' attention, drawing her out of the contemplative state she'd been in. The concerned tinge in the goose's voice instantly put Tigress on alert.

"I don't know. I just feel...weird," she heard Po reply from inside the room.

Tigress moved quickly into the doorway, just in time to see Po gripping his side and falling to his knees. She rushed forward and grabbed his arm to keep him from falling the rest of the way to the floor. "Po! What's wrong?"

"Ugh. My chest hurts and I…just feel….weird," the panda breathed out. His eyes were glazed and distant, as if he were just barely staying conscious.

Out of the corner of her eye Tigress saw Liling. The goose stood watching Po sadly, obviously wanting to help, but unable to do so without being effected by the Bai Yin Touch. She didn't look too surprised though, Tigress quickly realized. She looked up at the old goose and narrowed her eyes. "What's happening?" she demanded. "What haven't you told us?"

Liling looked deeply saddened as Po grimaced in pain. "Only one other person has ever been known to have come in contact with the Bai Yin Stone and he, like the great warrior, disappeared. There isn't much known about what happened. There is nothing written about it. Only stories and rumors..."

Tigress looked over at Po as he began to slip a little further to the ground. She shifted to hold him better and he unexpectedly rested the side of his head against her shoulder, almost as if it were too much of an effort to keep his head up. Her eyes narrowed into a warning glare as she turned her attention back to the goose. "Tell me what is happening."

"It is said that he died soon after coming in contact with the stone," came Ru Jian's voice from the doorway. He limped into the room further and stood next to the goose, a sympathetic expression on his face as he looked at Po. "You see, when the warrior had the sorceress bring forth the power of the stone, he also had her place a curse on it. He didn't want anyone else to be able to use the stone. He wanted the power all to himself," the ram explained. "So the stone was cursed. Anyone other than the warrior who touched the stone would have its power, but in return." Ru Jian paused briefly before continuing. "The person would die."

"We had hoped that part of the legend was not true. We had hoped you would be spared," Liling said, looking directly at Po. "I am sorry, panda."

Tigress' grip on Po's arm tightened, as if hoping she could keep him breathing if she held on tight enough. She looked sideways at him just as he glanced over at her. As their eyes met she read the question in his eyes that she too was wondering, but was almost hesitant to ask.

"How long?" she questioned. A solemn silence filled the room after the question was finally voiced.

Ru Jian sighed before answering. "Three days."

They were running out of time far faster than they had thought.

"Least we won't have to worry about un-zapping anyone I guess," Po said half-jokingly in an attempt to lighten the mood.

It didn't work.


	9. The Search Continues

A/N: This is another rather short chapter. It leads into the next one though, which is much longer. I can't promise that I'll get another chapter of this posted before Christmas. If not, then I'll try for the weekend. I hope you all have a good Christmas and happy holidays!

* * *

Po sighed as he reached for another scroll while setting the one he'd been reading aside. The table was covered with scrolls to the point that he could barely even see the table under the scrolls. He'd lost count of the number he and Tigress had already read through. So far none had any of the answers they were looking for. No good answers at least.

It was looking more and more like Ru Jian was right. The only way for Shifu, his dad, and the others to be cured was for Po to die.

' _That would be pretty easy now though_ ,' Po thought to himself. ' _Since I'm dying anyway_.'

He wondered if the monkey knew about the theory that he'd die because of the stone. Maybe that was why he had risked giving Po any kind of power. Because he had known it wouldn't matter in the end.

Wow, he was being really morbid.

Po glanced over at Tigress as she intently read over a scroll. The flickering candle light gave her fur a strange glow and reflected off her eyes, making them even more hypnotizing than they normally were. She was beautiful. That was nothing new though. He had always thought she was beautiful and just over all amazing.

Liling had been right about him loving Tigress. He use to tell himself that it was just a crush, an infatuation because of her totally awesome Kung Fu. The more he got to know her though, really know her, the more he realized she was awesome for a lot of other reasons too. He hadn't even realized he'd been falling more and more in love with her until after they'd returned from Gongmen City. Then it just...clicked. It seemed so natural. Like he'd been in love with her all along.

There was just the problem of Tigress or Shifu killing him because of it. He'd much rather stay alive and keep Tigress as his best friend than to get killed because he was stupid enough to try something more than friendship.

Now he might die anyway though. Shifu wouldn't get the chance to kill him and if Tigress maimed him it wouldn't really matter. Hadn't the goose said that it was a mutual, soul mate, type of love that kept the warrior's wife protected from the Bai Yin Touch though? If she was right, and that was what was keeping Tigress from getting zapped, than it would mean that the feelings were mutual. It would mean Tigress loved him as much as he loved her.

That thought left him a little breathless and he didn't think it was because of the stone's curse. Could it be true? His heart began to race and his eyes widened at the thought, his gaze shifting from the feline and down at the scroll and back nervously. Would it be worth it to ask?

Po snapped himself out of that line of thought and focused on the scroll in his paws again. This wasn't the time. ' _Definitely not the time'_ , he told himself.

Tigress was working so hard to fix all this. He knew it was for Shifu and the others as much as it was for him, but it still made him feel...special. She wouldn't give up. And neither would he. They still had a lot of scrolls left, after all.

With a surge of determination Po unrolled the new scroll, ready to jump back into the search, but just as he began to read the first line a burning pain shot through his chest. He dropped the scroll as his paw flew to his chest, just over his heart. The pain was worse than it had been the first time.

His lungs constricted as the burning sensation moved down his sides. He shut his eyes tightly against the pain and tried to focus on getting air into his lungs.

"Po."

Tigress' voice cut through the haze and his racing heart. He forced his eyes to open and was met by her intense stare. Even though she was still sitting across the table from him, it felt as if she were right there next to him. All he could see were her eyes, the light still giving them a gleaming and hypnotic appearance.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

Her calm voice soothed the momentary panic he felt. As the pain began to ebb away he let his paw fall from his chest and lay limply in his lap. He nodded in reply. "Yeah. I'm good."

Tigress didn't look away from him to go back to reading the scrolls though. Instead she stood up and walked around the table to him, her eyes never once leaving him. Po swallowed thickly as she stopped next to his chair. "We've been here for several hours now," she stated. "We should take a break."

He glanced over at the piles of scrolls still littering the table. They'd gotten through a lot of them, but still had several to go. Maybe a short break wouldn't hurt though. "Yeah," he agreed. "Good idea."

"Let's go." Tigress turned and he watched as she headed towards the archway which opened up into the outside hallway.

"Go where?" He stood up as she stopped half-way across the room. "I'm supposed to stay secluded remember? So I don't zap anyone."

"Fresh air might do you some good, Po. We will be sure to stay away from everyone else. Ru Jian showed me a side entrance which we can use."

"A secret entrance? Awesome!" he exclaimed with a grin. "Right behind you!"

Tigress gave him a small smile and inclined her head in acknowledgment before leading the way. He followed after her while trying to shake off the weird tingling sensation that was still lingering in his right leg.


	10. The Question

A/N: New chapter! It's a longer one too. The pace is going to start picking up soon. Hope you all had a nice holiday!

* * *

The sun was just barely visible through the overhang of tree limbs. The mountain in the distance seemed to loom over them as well, looking all the more like some sort of ever present watch tower. The palace, though mostly just crumbling walls and twisted vines now, still held an odd beauty about it. Together all these things combined to make the area seem almost majestic. Tigress could very easily see it as something straight out of a legend. A magical place described in tales to children.

A subtle sideway glance told her Po was still keeping up with her. He seemed a little out of breath still, but the pain he had obviously felt before looked as though it had faded. By the sounds of it, his breathing was slowly returning to normal as well.

He hadn't spoken much since leaving the room at the palace. Other than the initial smile upon stepping outside she wasn't even entirely sure he was paying attention to where they were. He was obviously preoccupied with his thoughts. Not that she could entirely blame him.

A lot had happened in a relatively short amount of time and their friends were waiting back at the Jade Palace for them to return with answers. Answers that seemed non-existent. There was a lot for him to think about and very little of it had to do with the fact that they were now standing outside. She didn't think she had ever seen Po quite this contemplative before though. Or for this long.

She certainly had never heard him remain this silent before.

Tigress came to a stop so they were half-way between the palace and the thicker section of the forest. As Po came to a stop as well, they simply stood watching the wind blow through the low hanging branches of the trees, making the vines and leaves sway gently. Another sideways glance told her that Po was once again staring unseeingly in front of him though.

She turned to face him and their eyes locked for a moment before he looked away. If she didn't know better, Tigress would almost think he had looked embarrassed. Before she could question him, however, he began to speak.

"Tigress, I...um..." Po rubbed the back of his head, his eyes traveling across the ground in a blatant attempt to avoid eye contact. "I...you know...was just wondering..."

It had been awhile since Po had been so at a loss for words when speaking with her. It had been common after he first arrived at the Palace, but as their friendship had grown he had become far more comfortable around her. His stuttering and nervousness around her usually only returned when he was afraid she might kill him or something of the like.

"Po," she interrupted. His gaze instantly flickered up to meet her stare. She hoped holding eye contact would keep him focused. "What is it that you wish to ask me?" Though her voice was as calm and even as usual, inside she was far from so calm. The conversation she'd overheard between him and Liling briefly replayed itself in her mind. She didn't think she was ready for this, if _that_ was what he was wanting to discuss.

Po held her stare, his eyes slightly wider than usual, and remained silent for a few prolonged seconds. She could practically see the inner battle going on inside his head. Finally he sighed and dropped his gaze downwards, his tense posture deflating just enough for her to notice. He took a deep breath before looking back up at her while shifting from foot to foot.

"Tigress," Po began. "There's a chance that I won't actually make it out of this one alive. Maiming might be a possibility I suppose. Or even..."

He was getting himself caught up in a ramble. She reached out to put a paw on his shoulder and waited until she had his full attention before speaking. "You are not going to die." Her tone was even, confident, and left no room for argument.

Any sane person would have agreed with her right away and let the subject drop.

But this was Po.

"Right. Yeah, sure," he said, nodding in the process. "But it's a _possibility_ and I..." His gaze flickered over her shoulder and when he met her eyes again there was a new determination shinning behind his jade orbs. "I just kinda would like to know how you...feel...about me. If you...care about me," he finished, his voice filled with uncertainty.

It was a roundabout way to ask what he was really wanting to ask.

She knew what he meant though. How could she not after what she had overheard. Did she love him though? Yes, she did. She no longer needed to think about it, no longer hesitated while pondering over what it was she really felt. She knew the answer in her heart. The problem was that her heart and mind still battled over what to do about it.

Emotions had been something foreign to her for the longest time, something to be kept hidden and locked safely away so they wouldn't interfere with her training. She had long ago surpassed the need for affection and blatant emotions. Or so she had thought.

Then a panda had fallen from the sky on a ball of fire.

Now she wondered if anyone could ever truly surpass that desire….that need….to _feel_. She could admit to herself that there had always been a longing for someone to show her the kind of caring Po had brought into her life. She'd simply ignored it before he had arrived. Pushed such inane thoughts to the back of her mind in favor of focusing on her training. Perhaps by necessity. Perhaps for her own emotional and mental survival.

Now here she was though. Unsure how to answer Po's question even though her heart was screaming a very definite answer at her. She didn't know how to handle these feelings that had been swelling inside her for some time now. She didn't know how to deal with this panda, this friend, who had forced himself into her life and into her heart. He had showed her a caring and love that she'd never experienced before, but she couldn't fathom how to respond now.

Her hand fell from his shoulder, hanging by her side instead as she stared at the panda with what no doubt seemed an emotionless expression. It was not emotionless though. Just tightly controlled. As tightly controlled as she had kept herself for the majority of her life. Before her eyes she watched Po's face fall. She could practically see his heart crumbling a little with each second that passed while his face bore the evidence of a myriad of emotions.

She needed to voice some kind of response now, before he retreated entirely. "I do not have an answer for you right now."

She wasn't sure where that answer came from. She did have an answer, an answer she was certain would make Po very happy, but her mind simply wouldn't allow her to say it aloud. Not now. She needed to process her emotions, to examine the possibilities and ramifications more thoroughly before jumping into saying something that could put her in a precarious position.

There would be a better time for this. There had to be.

"But," Po began slowly and uncertainly. "You'll give me one eventually. Right?"

Tigress hesitated a brief moment before inclining her head. "Eventually."

The sudden sound of wings flapping furiously interrupted the moment and drew both their attentions to the source. Tigress turned just in time to see Zeng flying towards them, a very irritated pig and half a dozen robed figures trailing after him.

Zeng landed a few feet away from them, breathing heavily as if out of breath. Bing caught up with him and rolled his eyes. "He insists that he knows the two of you," the pig stated, addressing her and Po. His hand gripped Zeng's shoulder with a firm hold that looked uncomfortable. "Is that true?"

Tigress had no doubt that Bing would 'escort' Zeng out of the forest instantly if she denied knowing the messenger. He didn't seem all that pleased about having yet another stranger visiting. "Yes," she answered. "That's true."

"What's wrong, Zeng?" Po asked, voicing the question that she herself had been wondering. Zeng would not be here unless it were important.

"It's horrible," the messenger began. He seemed truly afraid and concerned, Tigress noted. "The Jade Palace! It's been invaded!"

Tigress stiffened. "Invaded by who?"

"Wait...invaded?" Po asked at the same time. "How is that even possible?"

"There were too many of them," Zeng continued. "Master Viper called them bandits."

Tigress suddenly felt an overwhelming dread wash over her. She had a pretty good idea what Zeng would say next, but she very much hoped that she was wrong this time.

"The leader was a monkey," the messenger added, confirming Tigress' suspicions. "He said his name was Xun. He took Master Viper prisoner!"

"Viper was the only one left who wasn't zapped," Po said. His worry was blatant and reminded Tigress that one of them needed to stay focused and calm so they could figure this out.

"Did he say anything else, Zeng?" she asked firmly.

"Yes." The messenger nodded frantically. "He demands that the Dragon Warrior return immediately or...or he'll kill Master Shifu and all the others as well!"

"This was all a trap," Tigress stated. "He wanted you away from the Jade Palace and knew the only answers about the Bai Yin Stone would come from here. But it doesn't make sense. Why give you such power first?" She looked away, her mind racing as it tried to make sense out of Xun's odd actions and put the pieces of the puzzle together. "There must have been an easier way to lore the Dragon Warrior away from the palace."

"Maybe he wanted me to zap everyone first," Po suggested. "Then he'd only have me left to deal with."

"But he couldn't be sure who you would 'zap'. And even if he did only have you left to fight, you would have dangerous power that would make you more formidable. It would be a risky move."

Po shifted his weight from foot to foot. "Unless...He knew about the curse on the stone and knew it would, you know, kill me."

Tigress studied the panda closely. "You are suggesting that he has summoned you back so he can watch you die?"

Po shrugged and avoided meeting her eyes. "I don't know. Maybe? We should get going either way."

He started to walk past her, but Tigress put a paw out to stop him. His eyes flickered from her face, to the paw she now had pressed against his chest, and back. "That is exactly what he wants, Po. He wants _you_ to return. We can't be sure what it is he has planned."

"No, no, no." Po shook his head with a look of determination. "I know what you're going to say, Tigress. You're going to say that I should stay here."

"We do not want to play into his hands, panda."

"I don't care. That's my dad he has, Tigress. My dad and Shifu and most of the Five. I can't just stay behind and let you go by yourself!"

She growled lightly in irritation. "Po..."

"If you were in my place, would you stay behind? Even if Shifu told you to?" Po asked.

The memory of disobeying her master and going after Tia Lung flashed through her mind at his words. She couldn't lie and say that she would obey, not when she knew for a fact that she would never stay behind in a situation like this. Master Shifu and the others were already in danger though. She didn't want to put Po in anymore danger than he was already in as well.

"We would have to move quickly," she pointed out. "And you are not in any condition for that kind of journey."

"I can make it," Po insisted. He placed his paw over the one she still had on his chest. "Come on, Tigress. We both know what'll happen if you don't let me go with you. I'll just follow you and probably wind up falling into a ditch somewhere."

' _Or get shot with a canon_ ,' she added mentally to herself.

She knew he was right though. She could tell him to stay here, but as soon as her back was turned he would just go anyway. Just like he had in Gongmen City. Besides, the longer they stood here arguing about it, the longer the others back at the Jade Palace were in danger.

"Very well," Tigress agreed. Po smiled, looking happier than she would have thought him capable of given the circumstances. She turned back towards Zeng, but instead found the old goose standing close by.

Liling didn't say word as she handed Tigress the pack they had brought with them.

Tigress nodded her thanks as she took the bag. It was much lighter now. No doubt due to Po's snacking habits. As she slipped the strap over her shoulder she felt the scroll she'd brought from the Jade Palace slide to one end. She turned to Zeng and noticed how tired he looked. He'd no doubt flown non-stop to get here so quickly.

"Zeng, stay here and rest. Then return to the Palace," she instructed.

The messenger seemed relieved to hear that. His shoulders slumped and he smiled appreciatively. "Yes, Master Tigress. You and Master Po will be careful, won't you?"

"Of course we will," Po exclaimed cheerfully. "Right, Tigress?"

She refrained from answering that and instead turned towards the tree line. "Move it, panda. We have a lot of ground to cover."

"Right behind you!"

She had no doubt he would be. It was Po, after all. He was somehow always right by her side and she knew he would always have her back.

Or would die trying.


	11. Running Out of Time

A/N: Here we go. A new chapter. A bit of a transition chapter really. Once again, the first section is from Po's POV and the second is from Tigress' POV.

* * *

It was hard for him to keep up with Tigress on a normal basis, but right now Po was finding it even more difficult. He was just so tired and his legs went from aching, to being stiff, and then almost numb. Ignoring it had worked for the first few hours after leaving the Tong Ku Forest, but the pain had only come in brief burst than. Now, as the sun was beginning to make its way closer and closer to the horizon, the weird feelings were lasting longer and coming more often. It was becoming harder to ignore.

He wanted to keep going. The thought of what that monkey was doing to his dad and everyone at the Jade Palace spurred him on. His friends and family needed him right now. At the rate things were going he wouldn't make it there at all though.

He coughed slightly as he maneuvered over a log. Tigress jumped on top of it and launched herself off so easily it seemed that this was nothing more than a casual stroll through the village for her. The mere sight almost made him lightheaded though.

They'd agreed to travel through the night so they could reach the Valley of Peace by morning, however Po had a feeling it was also be because his time was running out and they both wanted to reach the Jade Palace before that happened. He suddenly really hoped that the legend was right about his death restoring those affected by the Bai Yin Touch. At least than he would know for a fact that his friends would be alright after he died because of the curse.

They skidded around an especially wide tree, Tigress' graceful movements making it look far easier than he found it, and then used large boulders to cross a pond. Just as the pond disappeared behind them, and they once again began to jog through the trees, a sharp stabbing pain shot down Po's right side and across his chest. He coughed as his lungs constricted and was soon forced to slow down.

The world seemed to spin for a moment as he placed his paw against a tree and bent forward to catch his breath. "Tigress," he called to get her attention. She was already a good distance away from him. Po straightened before she could stop and turn though. He didn't want her to see him looking quite so pathetic. He really did hate having to make them stop, but if he was going to make it to the Valley of Peace at all then he was going to have to catch his breath. "Can we stop for a break? Just for a minute?"

* * *

Tigress subtly looked the panda up and down, taking in his appearance. His breathing was more labored than usual, even considering the amount of running they had been doing. His paws also seemed to be shaking. Not very much, just enough for her to notice upon closer inspection. Even Po's legs appeared weaker to the point that they looked as if they were having trouble holding him upright.

Po needed to rest. She mentally berated herself for not noticing just how badly he needed it.

Tigress nodded and turned to face him fully. "Very well. We will stop for a few minutes." She watched as he sighed in relief and slowly slid down the tree he'd been leaning against, until he was sitting with his back against it.

She took a few steps closer, but stopped while there was still a large gap between them. As he closed his eyes to rest she continued to watch him. While she stood there observing him, her mind began to wonder, analyzing the last couple of days. She wasn't surprised when the conversation she'd had with Po just before Zeng had arrived drifted through her thoughts and demanded her attention. Po's current condition seemed to spur the line of thought forward, overshadowing all the other things begging for her attention.

What was she waiting for anyway? Her time to tell Po how she felt may very well be running out no matter what she told herself to the contrary and no matter how much she assured him that they would figure something out. He wanted to know how she felt about him, and how could she deny him that? It seemed so simple, but yet it was also far from simple. There was very little that was simple about any of this. Why could she not answer him this one question though?

What was she afraid of? Rejection? No. The evidence of Po's depth of caring was hard to ignore at this point. And she trusted him. She trusted him completely and knew that he, of all people, wouldn't intentionally hurt her.

What could it be than other than her own stubborn will and determination? Protecting others had been her mission in life and would _always_ be her mission in life. The thought of allowing anything to get in the way of that mission was something she couldn't tolerate. She had her honor and duty to uphold and a master to make proud. Was admitting to being in love really worth risking all of that?

But then again, what would be the point in protecting a world without love? Wasn't it love that had driven many a master to train until they, quite literally, broke? Wasn't it love, and family, and peace that the warriors of the Jade Palace fought to protect? How could she fight for such things and yet push them away from herself at the same time.

Even Kung Fu masters deserved love, peace, and family of their own. She felt sure that Master Oogway would have agreed. Not for the first time she wished that the old wise turtle was still with them. He had always given good advice, even if it was cryptic at times.

"Okay," Po suddenly said, interrupting her thoughts. "I'm ready. Let's do this!" Though he tried to sound confident, he sounded mostly out of breath and fatigued.

Tigress watched as he pushed himself up from the ground.

And then promptly fell back down with an ' _oomph_ '.

She was at his side before he had time to look up. As she knelt down beside him she placed a paw on his shoulder. He did not look good. Under closer scrutiny, she could see the extreme tiredness lining his eyes. She could even feel a muscle under her paw twitching uncontrollably. They were running out of time both for him and for their friends back at the Jade Palace.

Time was definitely not on their side. Then again, very little seemed to be going quite right lately. As much as she tried to deny it, it was looking more and more like Po might not make it out alive this time. If only they'd had more time. More time to find a solution, more time to reach the Jade Palace, more time to say all the things that were left unsaid between them.

She wanted Master Shifu and the others back, but at what cost? For them to live it seemed Po would have to die. Was it worth losing the Dragon Warrior, her friend, and her...

Her heart.

Tigress brushed the thought away as quickly as it had appeared. They would find a safe way to return Master Shifu and the others while keeping Po alive as well. She would make sure of it. She refused to lose any of them.

"Po," she said firmly to get his attention as his breathing worsened. "Take a deep breath."

"What?"

"Take a deep breath," she instructed calmly. He did as she said and breathed in deeply before slowing releasing. She very gently tightened her grip on his shoulder to let him know he was doing well. "Again." Once again Po did as she instructed, and she felt his shoulder relax slightly under her paw. "Good job."

"I'm sorry, Tigress." There was such remorse in his voice that it made her paw tighten on his shoulder again.

"You have nothing to apologize for," she told him. "Breathe."

Po took another deep breath and slowly released. "This is all my fault," he began. "If I had just..."

"I said you have nothing to apologize for," she said more firmly. "Stop blaming yourself and focus. Does the Dragon Warrior intend to give up now? Before the fight has even begun?" she asked pointedly.

The panda thought over her words before shaking his head. "You're right. As always," he added with a crooked half-smile.

Tigress returned the smile with a smaller one of her own. "Are you ready to continue?"

"Ready! But...uh..." He looked a little embarrassed as he paused. "You might have to help me up."

She stood without commenting and held out a paw, which he gladly accepted. She pulled him to his feet with a single solid tug and he grinned appreciatively.

"Let's get that monkey!" he exclaimed excitedly before taking off.

She admired his enthusiasm.

But he was going the wrong way.

"Po," Tigress called. He abruptly stopped and looked over his shoulder. "It's that way." She pointed in the opposite direction he had been going and couldn't help but to smirk in amusement.

"Right. I knew that." He turned around and stared walking in the direction she had pointed. "Thanks, Tigress," he added with a sheepish smile in passing.

She smirked a moment longer before following after him. In the distance the setting sun sank lower and lower, filling the sky with an array of pinks and blues as the day slowly came to an end. It would be a full moon though, giving them enough light to make traveling at night easier. That was, Tigress supposed, at least one thing in their favor.


	12. Xun

Disclaimer: Just a reminder that I do not own Kung Fu Panda.

A/N: This is another chapter that I decided to split because of the length. The fight is about to begin though! So here we go. From Po's POV.

* * *

Po poked his head over the merchant cart so only his ears and eyes were visible from the other side. Beside him, Tigress carefully looked around the side of the cart. They were both in what he always liked to call 'stealth mode'. Though Tigress hadn't shown any real reaction to the phrase when he'd said it a few minutes earlier, he had imagined her rolling her eyes on the inside.

They'd managed to move pretty quickly through the night and had reached the Valley of Peace while it was still relatively early. Behind them several villagers moved hurriedly from place to place as if trying to stay out of the way of whatever would soon come. It seemed as though they had figured out that something wasn't quite right up at the Jade Palace. Po had a feeling that the four wolves standing guard at various points on the Thousand Steps may have been a hint.

The first wolf paced at the bottom of the steps while two others were moving towards the half-way point and the fourth was standing up at the top step. And that was only what they could see. Fortunately the village itself didn't have any of the monkey's henchmen lurking about at least.

"There is another way up to the Palace," Tigress stated, keeping her voice low just in case. "But it would take time." Her eyes flickered over to him briefly with an unreadable expression. "Time we may not have."

Po decided to ignore the time reference. Running out of time was the last thing he really wanted to be thinking about right now. "Right. So we take out the wolves?"

"Yes," Tigress answered. "But we will have to be quick. We do not want anyone alerting Xun to our presence. I will go straight for the wolf at the top. You take the one at the bottom and we will meet in the middle."

Po nodded. "Sounds good. Let's do it."

"Po."

He looked over at Tigress to find her watching him closely.

"Will you be able to handle this?" she asked. There was no accusation or demeaning tone to her voice. Just honest concern and a somber seriousness.

He couldn't blame her for asking. If he looked half as tired as he felt than people probably thought he was already at death's door. Which he supposed was technically true. He could do this though. He had to. "Yes," he answered simply.

Tigress seemed to accept his answer and nodded in return. "I'll go first."

Without another word or backwards glance she took off, staying in the shadows and leaping onto rooftops to stay out of the wolves' sight. She was so graceful and agile that Po couldn't help but to stare after her for a few minutes. It wasn't until she disappeared behind a roof that he too moved swiftly from behind the cart.

Just as he reached the house closest to the bottom of the steps Tigress suddenly leapt from the roof and dove past the first wolf. She landed a few steps up, but her feet only touched down for a split second before she was flipping into the air again and speeding up the stairs in a blur of movement.

Po jumped from behind the house and ran as fast as he could towards the first wolf who was still too surprised to react in time. He landed a punch in wolf's stomach and then kicked him away from the steps before taking off towards the next wolf.

By the time Po sent the second wolf tumbling down the stairs Tigress had already taken out the other two. She stood a couple steps up from him and gestured for him to follow. He found himself smiling a little as he followed after her.

A few minutes, an owl and a boar guard later, they were knelt down outside the Sacred Hall of Warriors. The door to the Hall was opened a crack, allowing them to hear the sound of footsteps. Every once in a while they could hear someone talking or laughing as well, though what was actually being said Po couldn't make out.

"We'll have the element of surprise, so that'll help, right?" Po whispered to the tiger next to him. He shifted and grimaced uncontrollably when a burning pain shot down his side. He hoped Tigress hadn't noticed, but he was pretty sure she had. Fortunately she didn't mention it.

"Hopefully," she whispered back in return, her ever watchful gaze taking in their surroundings. "Ready?"

He squared his shoulders and prepared to launch towards the door. "On the count of three. One...two..."

The partially open door suddenly flew the rest of the way open, causing both he and Tigress to stiffen and go absolutely still as several sword wilding boars and wolves appeared in the doorway. In the middle of the group was the monkey, a satisfied smirk on his face.

"How nice of you to finally join us, Dragon Warrior," the monkey greeted with a laugh. "And you brought Master Tigress back," he added as his gaze landed on the tiger whose eyes were narrowed into slits.

Before they could even jump into a defensive stance the guards they'd knocked out ran through the courtyard gate, weapons at the ready, and looking more than a little irritated. They'd apparently recovered, but at least looked roughed up a bit still.

Po caught Tigress' eye in silent agreement. Allowing themselves to be taken was the best choice at the moment. Together they stood up and allowed themselves to be prodded forward. The monkey, his smirk still firmly in place, turned his back on them and led the way back inside.

"Hey, watch it," Po said as one of the boars jabbed him in the back with a spear. As he walked over the threshold of the Hall of Warriors he suddenly felt a wave of dizziness wash over him, causing him to stumble slightly. Tigress used her shoulder to nudge him though, keeping him upright, while her paw went to his elbow for added support. She let go as soon as the monkey stopped and began to turn though, obviously not wanting Xun to see any sign of weakness from them. That sneaky little monkey would probably take advantage of any weakness he could find in them.

"I have to admit that I wasn't expecting you to be here, Master Tigress," the monkey said. He didn't sound too upset. If anything he was amused. "I figured you would be as stone cold as your friends by now." He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder and that was when Po saw them.

His dad, Shifu, Mantis, Crane, and Monkey were all there. Sat up against a wall and as lifeless as they had been the last time he'd seem them. Viper was chained to a pillar, her eyes closed, and not moving. "What did you do to Viper?" he asked, unable to keep the worry and anger out of his voice.

"She had a run in with someone's fist," the monkey answered. "It was her own fault really. She tried to escape."

Tigress glared so fiercely that Po found himself even a little unsettled. He wasn't sure how Xun wasn't cowering in fear after being on the receiving end of it. "What is it that you want, Xun?" she asked angrily.

"I want what the panda has." Xun stepped closer, but stayed at a safe distance away all the same. "Power." The monkey's gaze suddenly shifted to Po and he couldn't help but to squirm under the intense stare. There was a mad, unhinged sort of look in Xun's eyes that was definitely creepy. "I want the Bai Yin Touch."

"Trust me, you can have it," Po replied.

The monkey laughed and shook his head. "I'm not that stupid, panda. I want power, but I do my research before snatching it. I know all about the Bai Yin Stone. Perhaps even more than the dwellers of the Tong Ku Forest do. I know about the curse on the stone. The one that is currently killing you."

Po stiffened and tried to ignore the prickling pain in his legs. He wasn't sure what to say to that. Maybe Xun really had wanted him back here just to watch him die.

"It doesn't matter anyway," Tigress spoke up. "We don't have the stone."

"That's alright, Master Tigress, because I don't need it. And I really don't _want_ it either. I have a better way to get its power." Xun pulled a ring from the pocket of his pants and held it up so Po and Tigress could see it. A large blue gem sparkled in the center. It looked uneven and rough, but it also looked as if something was swirling inside of it. "This is the Chuan Gem. It is, in a way, a relative of the Bai Yin Stone. The stone forces power onto whoever touches it. The gem takes power. It is a transfer conduit. With this ring I can drain the power of the stone from you, Dragon Warrior, but without the curse that accompanies it. It will also drain the life out of you, but that is of no consequence," he added with a dismissive wave of his paw. "Not only will I have the power, without the curse to kill me, but it will allow me to hone that power...control it more easily. I will be unstoppable."

"We'll see about that," Tigress said, her voice dipping to a dangerous growl.

Po stared at his unmoving friends across the hall. There had to be something he could do to fix this.

'S _o either I die from the curse, I die because my life force is drained out of me, or I...what_?' he thought frantically to himself. _'What's the third option_?'

' _In this case, panda, I am not sure there is one_.' It was the distinct voice of the old goose that echoed in his head. He didn't even know why or where it came from.

 _'But my friends will live_.'

And that's what was important, wasn't it? Either way, his dad and friends would live. Xun seemed pretty confident, but he'd be no match for the Furious Five and Shifu combined. He needed to try and make sure Xun couldn't transfer the Bai Yin Touch to himself though, just in case. He didn't want his friends being at risk of being zapped all over again, and fighting someone they couldn't really touch safely would make that pretty hard.

Po felt his lungs constrict again as a tremor went through his paws. Three days. That was how long he'd been predicted to have. Those three days were very nearly up. And his body seemed to know it too.

He'd been so preoccupied with his inner musings, so focused on the unmoving masters and his dad, and a little lightheaded, that he missed some of the conversation going on around him. It was one of the boars prodding an agitated Tigress in the back with a spear that brought him back to the conversation.

"All I have to do is place this ring on my finger..." Xun slid the ring onto his finger with a crooked smile. "And touch the gem to the mark on your paw or over your heart, Dragon Warrior. Then the transfer will be complete in a matter of seconds." The monkey took a step closer, causing the wolves to shuffle closer as well in preparation.

Tigress instantly stepped forward and partially in front him, even more so than she'd done back in the Tong Ku Forest. Po's eyes widened as he stared at the back of her head.

The monkey narrowed his eyes at the feline who was now blocking his path. "Fine," he stated in annoyance. "If that's the way you want it."

Tigress entered her fighting stance as her answer, giving no other reply.

Po followed her example and got into a fighting stance, turning to face some of the wolves who were inching closer. His vision blurred for a split second before the first wolf launched towards Tigress. The rest followed, and soon he lost sight of Tigress as they were separated by the fight.

* * *

A/N 2: What do you think so far?


	13. The Answer

A/N: Here it is. The pivotal chapter. Only a couple more left after this. Thanks for reading and, as always, thanks for all the wonderful reviews!

* * *

Tigress spun around and kicked a boar back into a pillar. She quickly blocked an attack by a wolf and sent his sword flying across the hall. Two more wolves ran towards her, but she jumped up and out of their path before they reached her. She landed behind them and kicked them both back against the same pillar as the boar before they could even fully turn to face her again.

With them out of the way, and no more preparing to attack her just yet, Tigress scanned the hall for Po. She quickly found him and felt an unfamiliar feeling of dread run down her spine. Not _completely_ unfamiliar, she corrected. She'd felt it once before in the seconds before Po had been struck by the canon in the Gongmen City factory.

Most of the wolves seemed to be focusing on her, but Po was left to fend off the rest while Xun tried to get closer to the panda. Tigress watched as Po used his elbow to knock back a lingering wolf and then quickly ducked out of the way as Xun shoved his ringed paw towards the panda's chest. Po avoided the jab and blocked a grab for his wrist. He seemed to be holding his own, but what made Tigress on edge was how Po actually looked.

His legs were very obviously shaking, his knees nearly buckling repeatedly, and he was flinching more than he'd ever done before. Even from this distance she could see the heavy rise and fall of his chest. He was having trouble breathing again. By the looks of it he was having trouble staying on his feet even.

And Xun was persistent. Eventually Po would be overtaken and the monkey would be able to use the ring. She needed to get to him before that happened.

One of the wolves from before charged towards her suddenly, brandishing his sword. Tigress dodged the sword, but she could feel it slicing through the air near her ear and ruffling her fur just seconds before she was out of the way entirely. She punched the wolf, sending him sprawling to the floor, and then performed a spin kick as another wolf lunged for her. As her feet touched the floor again her eyes swept over the piles of wolves and boars scattered around her. None seemed able to get back up this time.

Without a second thought she ran towards Po, flipped over the heads of two boars, and landed at his side. She reached out and blocked a spear just inches away from the back of his head. The panda shot her an appreciative smile that somehow made him look even more exhausted. Now that she was closer she could hear his breath rattling as he breathed heavily. His whole body was subtly shaking as well, she realized.

 _'Hang in there, panda_ ,' she silently willed.

Two boars attacked at once while a wolf came up behind her. She evaded the attack, but was once again separated from Po. Out of the corner of her eye she watched Xun making swift and agile jabs at the panda, almost as if trying to tire him further. She continued to block attacks while attempting to keep an eye on Po as well.

This fight was taking too long.

With a growl and surge of anger Tigress swept the legs out from under the two boars in one fluid movement. There was only one boar, one wolf, and Xun remaining. The boar and monkey had their attention trained solely on Po still. She glared at the wolf who stood opposite of her now, daring him to attack. His hesitance was blatant, his eyes shifting from side to side as if looking for help, but when none was found he swallowed thickly, summoned his courage, and started running towards her with his sword held out.

She kicked the sword from his paw easily, grabbed his shoulders with her claws extended, and flung him across the hall with all her strength. His head it the wall and he slid to the ground, joining his companions in unconsciousness.

With narrowed eyes Tigress turned back towards Po. What she saw sent another feeling of dread down her spine. Po was clutching his side and his face was contorted in pain as he tried to block Xun's attacks with one arm. She watched with widening eyes as he finally stumbled backwards and fell onto his back. As he struggled to sit up a victorious grin spread over Xun's face.

Tigress guessed the monkey's next move. She hunched down and began running forward on all fours, preparing leap into the air. Xun pushed himself up and into the air with his tail, clearly intending to jump on top of Po. As she flew through the air she unsheathed her claws again, her eyes narrowing into slits. Just seconds before Xun could reach Po, Tigress intercepted him and landed a firm kick to his torso, sending him flying through the air and towards the last remaining boar.

She landed gracefully on her feet with one paw on the floor. As the boar and monkey tumbled to the ground in a heap, Tigress sheathed her claws and straightened. It wasn't until the two stopped rolling that she realized the boar's spear had been extended, and that Xun had fallen on top of it during the collision. The spear was now piercing the monkey's stomach. Xun's eyes widened in shock before fluttering closed as his body went limp on top of the already unconscious boar.

Xun was gone for good.

It was over.

"Ti-Tigress..."

Tigress turned back to Po and knelt down beside him. His breathing was labored and his eyelids kept drifting closed before he forced them open again. She placed a paw on his chest and could feel his heart racing erratically. "Take deep breaths, Po," she instructed.

He tried to do as she said, but his breath hitched in his chest and caused him to cough hoarsely instead. He winced in pain and she could feel his heart beating even more irregularly under her paw.

Po was dying.

No matter how much she refused to accept it, no matter how hard she fought to keep him alive, it didn't matter anymore. The usual spark of life that seemed to constantly occupy his jade eyes was fading quickly. It was almost non-existent. With each passing second the life was draining out of him without any help from the monkey's gem. His energetic spirit was dwindling, leaving him unable to move.

"Hold on, Po. Focus on controlling your breathing." The logical voice in the back of her head told her that it was no use. She had to try though. She had to keep him with her for as long as she could.

"Are the others...," he began, his voice strained and hoarse.

Her fingers curled into the fur of his chest as if desperately trying to hold onto him and keep him tethered to life. "It'll be okay," she assured him.

She suddenly knew that nothing would ever be okay again though.

Tigress felt her heart cracking with each of Po's shaky breaths. As his heartbeat slowed and began to fade she was sure her heart would be shredded entirely. Why couldn't she save him just one more time?

A light pressure on top of her paw drew her attention from his pain filled face to his chest. His right paw was covering hers, almost as if he were trying to comfort her. The thought broke what resolve to stay calm and controlled she'd had left.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

She was Tigress, Kung Fu master and member of the Furious Five. She did not cry. Not since she was a young cub had she allowed herself to release such overt emotion. She had learned early that tears didn't help solve anything, they didn't make her feel better, only serving to silently irritate her master who she had viewed as a father figure in those early years. So she had learned to comfort herself internally, quietly, without such outright displays of emotion.

She was not weak. She had not cried since she was a cub. Until today. A solitary tear slowly slid from her unwilling eye, leaving a slick trail of fur in its wake.

She cried for Po, her friend.

She cried for the closest thing to pure love she had ever experienced.

She cried for her heart.

As the tear continued its way downwards the jade eyes staring up at her widened, his mouth forming an 'o' shape before giving way to a tired, and somewhat cocky, smile. "My answer?"

Tigress tilted her head in the barest hint of a nod. "Your answer."

Slowly the pain faded from the panda's face to be replaced with a look of utter peace. The soft smile he wore made her heart ache more than she thought possible. Another tear fell from her eye, following the same path as the first.

Po slowly reached up and, with a single finger, gently touched the teardrop as is clung to the fur of her cheek. A small flash of silver light sparked where his finger touched the tear. It was so brief Tigress thought she may have imagined it. Her eyes closed at Po's tender touch and the feel of his finger gently wiping away the tear. It was warm, and tender, and more than she deserved. When she forced her eyes open again she watched as his paw fell back on top of hers, the last of his energy apparently spent.

Out of the corner of her eye she noticed movement, but couldn't bring herself to care. Po's eyes were slipping closed. His chest was no longer rising and falling with each labored breath. Even the beating of his heart was almost imperceptible under her paw.

"Po," she said firmly, a tinge of panic lacing the name. "Open your eyes."

Either he couldn't hear her or he couldn't obey.

From somewhere in the distance she heard someone say her name. It wasn't Po though, so she paid it no attention. Her fingers curled further into his fur, gripping the soft hair with a death grip. With her other paw she grasped his, lifting it from on top of hers and then releasing in hopes of a reflexive action to show some sign of life. The paw fell limply to the ground though, his palm facing upwards. It was then that she realized the Bai Yin mark was gone. Not even a trace remained.

Po was cured.

And the cost apparently had been his life.


	14. The Power of Love

A/N: Only this chapter and an epilogue left! Two POVs in this chapter. I won't bore you with my commentary though. Without further ado...

* * *

Tigress didn't know how to explain it. Perhaps it was just another mystery of the universe that Master Oogway had often talked about. Maybe it was the panda's sheer stubbornness and determination. Tigress wasn't entirely sure she cared which it was anymore.

Because Po was alive.

Even as she stood at the foot of his cot and watched the slow rise and fall of his chest, Tigress couldn't quite believe it. He hadn't opened his eyes since they'd slid closed back in the Hall of Warriors, but his breathing had at least returned to normal. She was almost afraid to leave his side though, worried that he would slip away from her again if she turned her back. It was an irrational fear and one she couldn't explain any more than she could explain how Po was alive.

Mantis and Viper had assured them that Po was regaining his strength, and that he was only still unconscious because of the sheer exhaustion his body had experienced. He had been drained to the brink of death. Yet he hadn't crossed over entirely.

Master Shifu believed that it was that near death which had been what restored the frozen masters and Mr. Ping. The panda had been so close to death that the Touch had been reversed. What had cured him of the curse entirely and kept him alive though, none of them really knew.

As she had stared at the lifeless panda in the middle of the Hall of Warriors, the newly revived others had joined her. She'd never noticed the shock on their faces or Mr. Ping's blatant fear when he saw his son laying so still and so near death. What she _had_ noticed though was Mantis jumping onto Po's chest, moving her paw, and pressing his ear over the panda's heart.

She hadn't felt the faint, barely noticeable, heartbeat. Her paw was apparently too numb to feel such a light sensation. But Mantis had been able to detect the barest of heartbeats.

The relief and shock she'd felt when Mantis had uttered the phrase, "He's alive," was only comparable to the relief she'd felt upon seeing Po alive after being shot with Shen's canon. She didn't have to look very closely to find the pattern there.

Now here she stood, watching over the Dragon Warrior and waiting for him to wake up so he could rejoin the land of the living. She just wanted to see his bright, sparkling eyes full of life again. She needed to see his warm smile. The smile that would hopefully soothe the uncomfortable ache still lingering in her chest.

"Tigress."

Tigress turned from Po's cot to face Master Shifu. "Yes, master," she replied promptly, folding her hands behind her back. In one paw he held a scroll and in the other a piece of folded paper. She recognized the scroll as the one she and Po had taken with them to the Tong Ku Forest and that she had returned to Master Shifu earlier.

"I discovered this inside the scroll," Shifu explained, holding up the folded scrap of parchment paper. "I believe it was meant for you." He handed her the note, and as Tigress reached out to take it, she couldn't help but notice the way her master was watching her intently. Almost as if waiting for her reaction.

She unfolded the paper and glanced at her master once more before reading what was written.

 _Master from the Jade Palace,_

 _There are many secrets hidden within the Tong Ku Forest which myself and my companions have vowed to protect. We cannot share them all with you and Master Po. However, in my many years of study, I have come to understand some of the workings of curses and mystical doings. I have a theory of how Master Po could be cured, but it, like the many secrets of the forest, is not something I can tell you._

 _Love is what protects you from the Bai Yin Touch. I have shared this theory with your friend already, as I am quite certain you know. If love is what shields you than it is my belief that love is also what will break the curse and restore your friend. For it to work you would need to feel true heartache and deep emotion though. A display of pure, raw emotion. That is why I must not tell you now, because if I am correct than the emotion must be felt honestly and not simply because you believe it to be the cure. I hope that my suspicions prove correct. With all of my heart, I hope you and your panda may live long and happy lives. I hope also that when you find this message things have been made right once more._

Tigress scanned the message over again. Though it wasn't signed, she knew it had to be from Liling, the goose. Suddenly she remembered that she had an audience though. An audience who may very well have already read the note. Her eyes shot up towards her master who stood absolutely still as he watched her impassively. Had Master Shifu read this? Had he put the pieces of its contents and her immunity to Po's touch together?

Tigress remained as expressionless as he was while she lowered the note and faced him once more. "Yes, master. I believe it was meant for me," she replied simply.

Shifu held her gaze as he studied her for any other sign of her thoughts on the matter. "Do you believe this theory is correct?"

It was a weighted question. He was asking far more with that single sentence than one would think possible. He was asking if the goose was correct, if there really was a 'pure, raw' love between her and Po, and she knew that there was also an unspoken question of whether it would affect their ability to stay true to their duties.

It wouldn't interfere, she knew. She would never allow it to and doubted Po would either, if only because he knew and understood how much it meant to her. Admitting to such emotions was not something she did easily, but she could not lie to her master. Not even about this. "I do," Tigress finally answered.

Shifu's ear twitched. "I see."

Tigress held his stare without flinching. He had, after all, trained her well. Visible or not, she was concerned about his reaction though, about what he would have to say about her and Po. This was not a common situation, and especially not for the Grandmaster.

"Hopefully such a...," he paused briefly over his wording. "...connection will not be needed in the future."

It was not an approval, but it was also not disapproval. She would take what she could get though. "Hopefully, master."

Shifu nodded and turned to leave. "Do you plan on waiting here for Po to wake up?"

Tigress glanced over at the still sleeping panda. After all they had been through and the wide variety of emotions she had been forced to face in a short amount of time, she found it hard to leave him now. She needed to see his eyes open to know he would be alright. Then she could rest more easily.

"I thought it would best if someone stayed with him," she answered.

Shifu stopped in the doorway and looked over his shoulder at the Dragon Warrior. "I agree," he said, much to her surprise. "Alert me if he shows signs of waking."

"I will, master."

With that he was gone, leaving Tigress alone in the room with Po again. She turned back towards the cot and studied the panda a moment longer before getting comfortable in the corner of the room where she could watch him from a distance.

As Tigress sat there her gaze drifted to the note she still held. A 'raw emotion', it had said. What could be more symbolic of 'raw emotion' than a tear? She vaguely remembered a flash of light, which at the time she had thought she'd imagined. What if it hadn't been a figment of her imagination though? Could the rare tear that Po had wiped from her cheek have been the key to unlocking the stone's hold on him?

Maybe love really had been the cure after all.

* * *

As Po gradually began to wake up he thought he heard whispering voices coming from somewhere nearby. He shifted with a groan, unwilling to open his eyes to see where he was. He didn't want to wake up. He was too tired and it was too early.

"Just ten more minutes," he muttered sleepily as he began to doze off again.

Just as he was almost back to sleep the last few days suddenly hit him though. He remembered the monkey, the stone, the creepy forest and goose, and….dying. He'd been dying. Did that mean he was dead?

Nothing ached anymore, he was breathing normally, and he didn't feel completely exhausted. Maybe he was dead after all. But than what were those whispers? And why did he feel as if someone was watching him?

"Gonna wake up this century, big guy?"

He knew that voice!

Po's eyes popped open. "Mantis!" Sure enough the small master was standing on his stomach, looking down at him, and definitely not frozen any longer. He sat up quickly, making Mantis jump off his stomach, and looked around. He was in his room at the Jade Palace and sitting on his cot. All around him were his friends. Mantis, Viper, Crane, Monkey, Shifu, and Tigress. They all looked very much alive, and to his further confusion, he seemed alive as well.

"I'm not dead?" he asked with a mix of surprise and excitement.

"You are not dead, panda," Shifu confirmed.

"Yes!" He jumped up out of bed before another thought struck him. "What about the Bai Yin Touch? How are you guys un-zapped?"

"We believe your heart slowed enough to simulate death," Shifu answered calmly. "And you are free of the Bai Yin Touch as well."

"It's gone..." A grin spread across Po's face at the news. He suddenly felt free. Alive again. As if a weight had been lifted off his chest.

He reached out, still a bit hesitant until he was sure the Bai Yin Touch was gone, and lightly poked Crane. The bird only rolled his eyes amusedly instead of stiffen unnaturally. With a rush of exhilaration he moved to Monkey and touched his forehead with a single finger. Still nothing happened and his grin widened. With a burst of speed he moved to Viper, who held the tip of her tail towards him for Po to touch, and then to Mantis. He barely even thought about what he was doing as he poked Shifu, but the old master only twitched an ear in annoyance at his student's exuberance. As he finally reached Tigress he didn't bother poking her with a finger.

Instead he quickly pulled her into a hug.

He didn't care who was watching. He was too happy and too relieved to not take advantage of being able to touch people again without zapping them. He really felt free again, and definitely overjoyed that he wouldn't have to spend the rest of his life locked away from the world.

As Po let go of the feline he smiled sheepishly upon seeing her shocked expression. To his relief her shock soon faded though, and she gave him a soft smile and subtle dip of her head. It was nice to know she wasn't going to maim him for the unexpected invasion of her personal space. As he looked around his room he realized there was someone missing though. His smile faltered upon realizing his dad wasn't there.

"Where's my dad?" he asked, his worry beginning to come back. Everyone else seemed fine, so why wasn't his dad there too?

"Your father went home for the night and to check on the restaurant, Po," Viper answered with a comforting smile. "He's fine. We assured him that you'd be okay and promised to notify him when you woke up."

"One of the Palace servants was sent to fetch him," Tigress continued. "He should be here soon."

"It _is_ the middle of the night though," Monkey pointed out.

"I am sure that will not detour Mr. Ping," Shifu commented. "For now the rest of you should return to your rooms and rest. It has been a long day."

The Five began to follow Shifu towards the door, giving Po smiles and pats on the back in passing. "Wait, what about..." Po began, holding up a paw to stop them. There were still so many questions buzzing around his head as the adrenaline lingered a little longer.

"We will discuss it all in more detail tomorrow," Shifu told him, leaving no room for argument. "Try to get some rest after visiting with your father."

With that he and the others were gone.

Most of the others, at least.

Turning from the door Po realized that Tigress was still standing nearby. For a few moments they simply stood in the small room and watched each other in the silence. The memory of her pain filled expression just before he'd lost consciousness suddenly filled his mind. It had been a subtle display of emotion, even when the tear had slid from her eye, but coming from Tigress it had been like watching the entire Hall of Warriors crashing down. He'd never seen her so...broken.

It had hurt to see, but had also thrilled him. Because it had been in that moment that Po _knew_. She had told him, without even a single word really, how she felt about him. All he'd ever wanted to know had been on display. It had been awe-inspiring, and humbling, and absolutely epically awesome. If that had been his last moment on Earth, as he had thought it was going to be, than at least he would have died happy.

Even now the mere memory of that moment left him feeling warm, ecstatic, and a little overwhelmed. He'd never really thought he would see Tigress so open before. At least he'd never thought he would live to see it. Now as they stood alone in his room he couldn't fathom what to say. Anything he said would probably fall short in comparison.

Her eyes were glowing in the candle light, just as they'd done while the two of them had been studying the scrolls, and he felt his heart racing at the sight. What had he ever done to deserve love from someone as amazing as Tigress?

"Tigress...," he whispered, searching desperately for the words that would express just how lucky he was. And the words to tell her just how much he loved her.

Before he could figure it out the sound of someone running echoed down the hallway.

Mr. Ping promptly appeared in the doorway a second later. "Po! Son!" With a look of utter relief he flung himself at the much larger panda and wrapped his wings as far around his son as they would go. "Oh son, I was so worried."

Po chuckled as he returned the hug. He was more than a little delighted when his dad didn't stiffen and turn into a statue like he had done the last time he'd hugged him. Out of the corner of his eye, Po noticed Tigress quietly slip from the room and couldn't help but feel disappointed.

After the last few days she probably needed rest though, and as his dad launched into a lecture about worrying him to death, Po found himself smiling happily. There really wasn't much left for him to worry about now. He was alive. His dad and friends were alive. And Tigress, the most amazing and awesome person he'd ever met, was in love with him.

The day really couldn't get much better than that.

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A/N 2: So what did you think? I hope you all enjoyed it and that it lived up to your expectations! Only one chapter left now.


	15. Epilogue

A/N: And with this the story comes to an end. I had a lot of fun writing this fic. I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading and for all the wonderful reviews as well! I have several other oneshots/fics to post, so I'll be around. Until then, here's the epilogue of this story...

* * *

The sound of scratching and a mumbled pep talk told Tigress that Po had lagged behind. She leapt up unto the roof of the palace and turned to search for the panda. Though he was considerably more agile, and could climb with much more ease than he'd originally been able to after being named Dragon Warrior, he still occasionally had trouble keeping up with her when climbing onto the roof of the palace or training hall.

She smirked amusedly as he scaled the wall, and then knelt down to reach out a paw to him once he reached the narrow ledge below. He looked up at her with an appreciative grin before taking her paw and pulling himself up the rest of the way. She took a step backwards as he finally pulled himself over the edge.

"You are getting faster," she commented as he straightened.

"Nah, you're just saying that." An excited gleam entered his eyes after a second's pause. "Wait, really?"

She inclined her head in the affirmative, smiling lightly at his excitement over that little fact.

"Awesome! Do you think maybe next time we could just mediate at the Peach Tree though?" he asked as they walked towards the other end of the roof. It was their usual spot when meditating up here. It would give them both plenty of room to sit comfortably and still be mostly hidden from those below who happened to pass. It also gave them a perfect view of the Palace grounds and the sunset. If they looked close enough they could even see part of the village.

Tigress smirked at his question as they settled down into their usual spots. "I was thinking we could climb to the highest point of the mountain next time."

Po quickly tried to cover up the look of horror that briefly crossed his face with a forced smile. "Uh, sure. Sounds great."

"I was joking, panda," she stated flatly. Much to her amusement, Po sighed in relief. "We can save that for another time."

Po rolled his eyes, but there was a smile still in place all the same. "Awesome," he replied dryly.

They fell into a comfortable silence while looking out over the landscape. The sun would set soon and then they would need to return. Tigress suddenly found herself hoping that time would slow though.

Even though they hadn't spoken about what had happened, or what questions had finally been answered, it seemed almost as if they didn't need to. The facts were just...there. There was no denying that she loved him anymore, and she knew Po would never try to deny he loved her as well. The bond that had been forged through their friendship had now been reinforced, locking them together in a way that would not permit either of them to ever escape.

To her surprise, Tigress found that she didn't mind the lack of possible escape at all.

Po shifted closer to her, drawing her out of her observations of the view, until there was barely any room left between them. Tentatively, as if still not quite sure what to do, he placed his paw over hers where it rested on her knee. Her eyes shot to their paws and noticed how they seemed to meld perfectly together.

They both glanced up at the same time, and their eyes locked over their joined paws. There was more warmth and love shinning in Po's jade eyes than she had ever seen in any living being before. And it was directed solely at her. The sight almost made her heart skip a beat.

She slowly inched closer as her heart directed her actions. Her head for once was silent, giving her heart the chance to lead her. When they were mere inches apart Tigress paused, feeling the warmth of his breath as it ruffled her fur. She could almost feel his heart racing as it kept pace with her own rapidly beating heart.

Po seemed frozen in place, his eyes wide, but she remained where she was for a moment longer. Finally, she closed the gap between them and gently pressed her lips to his. It was a light kiss, a mere fleeting touch, but it held the promise of a long future yet to come.

Tigress pulled away, smirking at the goofy grin on his face, and shifted until their shoulders were pressed against each other's. As she went back to watching the sinking sun she could feel Po's eyes on the side of her face, but she ignored it. After a few minutes he turned his attention to the view below as well, curling his fingers around her paw as if unwilling to ever let go. If truth be told, she didn't want him to.

Meditation could wait anyway.


End file.
